For forty days Goliath mocked the Israelite soldiers. He wore a suit of armor that weighed more than the average man could pick up. He didn’t have to know how to fight, he could just step on you, or fall on top of you, and squash you like a bug. But he did know how to fight; he was a trained warrior.
His voice was as big as he was tall. He stood across the valley and shouted for hours on end, ridiculing and mocking and taunting and making the men feel like helpless little boys.
There was no escape from his voice. In the camp in their tents, during the night when they tried to sleep, while they ate, no matter where they went or what they did, Goliath’s voice reminded them of their hopeless situation.
Along came an untrained brother who had been sent by his father to “see how the battle goes.”
Soon after David found his brothers in their tents, Goliath came out of his tent to begin his show. After one sentence, in which Goliath ridiculed God, David was ready to fight.
He turned to his brothers and the group of soldiers near him and said, “That’s not right. That Philistine is making fun of God. What are you going to do about it?”
David’s focus was not on himself or even the Israelite army. David could not bear the thought that someone was saying bad things about God.
David’s focus was on God – on defending God against the accusations being made and the insults being shouted for all to hear.
Saul, the king, had informed the soldiers that he was to be notified as soon as anyone was ready to do battle with Goliath. David, in his youthful innocence and naivete boldly stated that he would fight this giant in order to show to the world the truth about God.
Soldier’s armor was placed on him; soldier’s weapons were provided him; soldier’s battle plans were drawn out in the sand for him.
After just a few steps and bends in this armor and David knew. He could not depend on its protection. He could not trust it to keep him safe from the enemy. He could not fight the way he had learned to fight – with bears, lions, wolves. Foes equally as fearsome as this Goliath.
He was expert with his tools.
Diligence in practice had developed confidence in his skills.
He was friends with God.
Diligence in trusting God’s providence had developed a faith and confidence in God’s power.
Love for God impelled him to action. An avowed enemy of God could not be tolerated in his defiance of David’s God.
Trust.
A 5-letter word. Not very big in size.
But immeasurable in what it can accomplish.
Each of the devil’s warriors is a giant – a Goliath designed to intimidate and control.
An obstacle to prevent us from marching forward to battle.
“I am slow of speech.” “I can’t find the right words.” “I can’t remember the texts in the Bible.”
“I don’t know how to teach, to preach, to sing.”
“I’m shy.” “Greeting people is not my skill.”
Trust.
That’s what overcomes each of the giants standing in the way of doing God’s work.
We used to sing a wonderful hymn titled “Trust and Obey.”
Trust is powerless unless it is attached to Obey.
Step out in faith and trust.
Slay the giant that stands in the way of Obey.
Jesus’ command right before He went back to heaven was “Go; Teach; Baptize!”
We are called to obey the command.
Trust makes it possible.
Share
Have you faced any Goliath battles?
How did you overcome?
Write to me and share your story.
eldon.roberts @ gmail.com
Note: I used this story to look at 'Defending God' in an earlier post. Same story, different focus. It is true for most scripture, many underlying truths can be brought to the surface to illustrate a specific spiritual principle. A little different focus and the principles apply to a new life-event.
