Greetings to you all!!!
First Samuel chapter 17.
There was, what seemed to be, a seemingly impossible situation to overcome: giant Goliath against the Israelites. He was a terrifying threat to them for over 40 days.
Somebody was needed that would not be afraid but would be able to trust God, despite the circumstances, to defeat and overcome the enemy.
When faced with seemingly impossible circumstances, are we quick to feel defeated? Or are we just the opposite, we are people of faith to trust God through the circumstances even if they've gone on for a long time?
If we fight through our circumstances and are able to be overcomers, should we boast to our friends of how awesome we are? Or is it an opportunity to boast of the greatness of our God?
We read in chapter 17 what I think is a very familiar account of David facing Goliath. A part that I don’t remember paying much attention to before was David’s encounter with his brother, Eliab in verse 28. Eliab is not happy with David and he tells David that he knows the evil of David’s heart. It seems natural for older siblings to think that they know better than their younger ones and they may have a tendency to help watch out for them from their earliest days. They might also look down on them and even think that it’s part of their job to pick on them too. Maybe some of that was happening here. I was thinking about how sometimes when we are called by God to serve Him in some way, we may face opposition from others, even those who we might have the closest relationships with. I sense that there may have been some jealousy in Eliab as his youngest brother was about to show his bravery to all of Israel and the Philistines as he would stand up against Goliath with God’s help to defeat him. Eliab was among all the other Israelites who were too afraid to face Goliath. How could he let his little brother get involved by either getting squashed by that giant or showing him up by being victorious over Goliath?
Jesus spoke about the cost of discipleship in Luke 14:26-27. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple.”
May we trust the Lord to give us all that is needed to follow Him to stand up against any giants or obstacles in our lives and may we remember to give God all the credit. We need to listen closely and obey Him to do things His way and not be discouraged by the voices who may even be the ones closest to us or those who may want us to do it their way by trying to wear their armor that isn’t meant for us to use.
This is truly one of the best-lnown and best-loved stories in all Scripture! Can I start with a “smile on my face; joy in my heart”! The reminder that I love is in verse 47, “the battle is the Lord’s”. May we always remember that in times of challenge and as Jim and PB say – give all the glory to God.