“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled.’” I Samuel 17:45 (NIV)
Watching the
Miss Universe contest has always been a fun experience for the gals in my
family. We pick out our favorites and keep score as to who looks the best in
each gown and swimsuit and answers the tough questions without messing up.
One year we were
unanimous in our selection: Miss
But then the completely
unexpected happened. Anticipation was high as Miss
There was total
shock from everyone in the audience as well as those of us watching at home!
What in the world had happened to this beautiful young lady? Commentators
believed they had the answer: she had taken her eyes off her runway performance,
they speculated and had focused instead on the huge crowd. If they were
correct, it was a big mistake and it cost her the Miss Universe title.
Compare that to the
conversation recorded in I Samuel 17:45 that David is having with Goliath, the
Philistine standing tall in front of him. David was only a boy in this confrontation
and the giant standing before him was a 9’tall man intent on killing him with a
sword while David held only a few stones and a sling as a weapon.
And yet David’s focus was not on the giant but
on the “God of the armies of Israel.” Oh, he saw the giant standing there. But David
was zeroed in on the One who laughs at giants and equips His children for
battle with Truth in the form of stones and a sling. And the result? The giant
fell and David was victorious for the Lord.
We all have
giants in our lives. Oh, maybe not the 9’ tall Goliath variety. But just maybe
they are worse. What about fear? Fear can grip us by the throat and threaten to
strangle us. Maybe a spouse is addicted to porn or drugs, or a child has been diagnosed
with a potentially fatal disease. Or perhaps we have a prodigal son or daughter
who hasn’t spoken to us in months or years.
So what do we do
when we stand before a giant? Do we focus on it? Not according to David in our
Scripture. Here are some suggestions. First, call it what it is. Pray “Lord, I
need your help. I am facing a giant and it is (fill in the blank).” By doing
that, you are admitting there is something in your life that you cannot fix but
God can. He knows your fears. He understands your battle.
Secondly, ask
the Lord to arm you with His power and then run toward the giant. That’s what
David did. He called out Goliath for what he really was and then he ran to him
to do battle. Lastly, refuse to let that giant back in your life. Trust God to
arm you with courage and strength, just as He did David.
My encouragement
to you today is to take your focus off your giant and place it on the God of
the Universe, the Ultimate Giant Slayer. He will not let you down.
Father, help
me every single day to focus on you instead of the giants in my life. Use me as
a giant slayer no matter what I am facing. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
R.A.P. it up . . .
Reflect
- What
are some of the giants in your life that you face every day?
- Where
is your focus? On the giants or on the Giant Slayer?
Apply
- Make a
list in your journal of the giants you are facing. Share the list with a
prayer warrior in your life and set a time to pray together weekly.
- Listen
to the Lord speaking to your heart as He leads you in the battle against
each giant.
Power
- I
Samuel 17:45 (NIV) “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me
with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of
the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled.’”
- Colossians
3:2 (NIV) “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
- Proverbs
4:25 (NIV) “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly
before you.”
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