The Foundation of Courage - 4/11/2010

1 Samuel 47-48, "... it is not by the sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's

... As the Philistine moved closer to attack Him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him."

This familiar anecdote describes the encounter between David and Goliath - a giant of a man who kept the entire Israelite army in fear for five days with his challenge to Saul's army. Only one man had to defeat Goliath and the whole Philistine army would become servants to the Israelites, but failing to do so meant the Israelites would become servants themselves. Nobody accepted his challenge.

Until David. David wasn't a soldier. His brothers were, and were counted among the trained warriors who knew Goliath could defeat them, and refused to act. Their younger sibling David was a shepherd. The soldiers of Saul's army put their faith in their ability, and failed. David put his faith in another Shepherd's ability, our God, and defeated the source of fear for an entire army, with a single stone and a sling.

Even as this giant of a man covered in armor with large weapons rose up to attack David, he didn't fear. In fact it says here "David ran quickly toward the battle line." I love that line because David didn't doubt or ponder or second-guess God's ability or willingness to deliver. He simply ran forward knowing God would come through - because He had before! "Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine... " (v.36-37). I have been struck before by this idea that David had practice using God's strength instead of his own, with the lion and the bear as "trial runs" for his meeting with Goliath.

But, what I find fascinating now is how offended David was when Goliath challenged the "living God." In verse 26, when David first assessed the situation, he asked, "...Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" The significance of referring to Goliath as "uncircumcised" is to emphasize that Goliath did not believe in nor serve the Lord, yet challenged our "living God" while he worshiped mute gods made from the hands of men. How often do we feel offended when people challenge God? Perhaps most of us haven't become desensitized to assaults on our Lord's loving character, but if we are to rely on God to stand up for us, why don't we stand up for Him more often? Why don't we defend His love and His power and His ability to those who challenge our "living God?"

David did. "[He] said to the Philistine, 'You come against me with the 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 defied."

There are two things I love about this account. 1.) David was offended to his core that anyone would slander the most important person in his life - our living God - and he acted on it! 2.) David had a close enough relationship with our God that he could rush into battle with a giant without flinching, knowing this God of ours well enough that he could trust Him to follow through during any challenge that presents itself.

Two lessons I truly hope I can take to heart.

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