David and Goliath
Pretty famous story huh?
Most of us know how it ends…Goliath dies…David is the new
hero of Israel.
Why?
Have you ever stopped to think about why a teenager put
his life on the line with just a few stones for his slingshot? I often overlook
the motive when I teach or think about David and Goliath.
Most preachers and teachers tell us that we can overcome the
Goliaths in our life. That we have giants that stand between us and God’s
intention for our life, that the obstacles are just a 5 smooth stones away from
falling down lifeless in front of us. Have you ever heard that sermon before? I
have…more than once. I may have even preached it once or twice.
What about this simple fact…Goliath was not a Goliath in
front of David. Goliath was not an obstacle on David’s path, he was not
standing between David and God’s road to blessed living. Goliath was not even a
part of David’s life until David changed his to do list for the day to include
Goliath. You see Goliath was optional for David. David was making a delivery
for his father to his brothers, David has already been anointed the next King
of Israel, and David has his duties with the flocks waiting for his return.
David added Goliath to an already busy day.
Why?
Because Goliath was trash-talking about David’s God.
So let’s quit using this story as a self-help directive to
slay the Giants in our life. Let’s use it as a rallying cry to do battle
against those that defy “the living God”. David says in chapter 11 of the
Story, “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you
down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the
Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will
know that there is a God in Israel…”
David tells us that Goliath’s crime was defying the armies
of the living God. In David’s mind to defy the army of God was the same as
defying God himself, the army represented God to the nations. Today that
representation is made by the church. We are God’s army today.
Our culture is full of Goliaths who are mocking God and his
church. I wonder what David would do in our circumstances? Next time you want
to take on a Goliath make sure you are taking on more than just a personal
issue or obstacle…take on those who are defying our God…so that the world may
know!
