“All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword and spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
- 1 Samuel 17:47
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Here is the scene. Many of you know it whether you were raised in the church or not. David is in one end of the valley, the measly skinny shepherd boy who was delivering food and water to his soldier brothers. In the other end of the valley, Goliath, the giant who makes Shaquille O’Neil look like a high school point guard, who makes the greatest warriors of Israel into cowards. Behind David is a huge hill with the army of Israel lined up and silent and worried. Behind Goliath, the army of the Philistines covering another hill, chanting against the Israelites.
The stakes are the promises of God and upholding His righteousness. David is there, defending the faith of Israel and standing up for God. While modern apologetics defends Christianity with reason, David was defending the covenant community with faith and stones. Without God, Israel would surely lose this battle, and without David pointing to faith in God the people would have been decimated, turning back to dust faster than they could turn to an Idol.
A fight laid there before David. He has taken down bears and lions, defending helpless sheep from the terrors of the world. He knew how to use a staff and a sling, but the sword and shield he knew nothing. David did not fear though, for he trusted in the Lord to save and win the battle. Read just about any Psalm of David and you will see a dependent heart, a trusting soul.
Meanwhile, the Philistines slandered the name of God. They mocked and brought down God, as if they ever could weaken God. David however, encouraged Israel and lifted the name of the Lord on high, God will win this battle. God will win the battle.
The Battle:
More often than not, we encounter things in our lives that are stress inducing and strike fear and doubt into our souls. Our hearts grow weak and we can almost sense the darkness closing in around us. COVID-19 made much of that really clear, and even today the darkness appears to be winning. People shoot security guards, needless murders in the streets, and suicides are rising. It seems like a battle we cannot win.
When I see news headlines that detail these issues my heart gets heavy and my mind wants to say, “If only they knew of the hope to come, if only they knew that God wants to make the world a New and better place. If only…”
That is why David is so important, yes, he slayed the giant, but there was a more important win that day. The Israelites were dismayed by their situation, they feared for their lives and felt God to be distant. They had lost their hope that God would win.
We need to be agents of Hope, bringers of Justice/Truth, and extend Grace by our actions. If only they knew what was to come.
Hope… David would make Israel a great Kingdom, not by his own strength, but by God’s gracious hand. COVID-19 will end one day, and we will come out all the stronger, and perhaps healthier and better-connected communities than ever before. God will one day hit the Renew button on the Earth and judge every wrong and restore every right. There are better days to come.
Justice/Truth… Yet, the world is unfair, and it seems increasingly corrupt. We must speak up and begin righting the wrongs now. David was on route to be the true king of Israel and truly reflect God, unlike Saul. We must restore a true sense of justice in our world, despise what is bad and seek what is good and building communities around truth. That one day, God will accurately and fairly judge everyone, and they will reap the harvest that they sowed.
Grace… We need it, we need to give it, we need to grow it. This is not without truth, but bearing in mind the truth, and graciously push toward redemption. We bring encouragement and forgiveness, hope and love. These trying times need Truth and Grace balanced more than ever. Love needs to be given; Christ needs to be followed.
Final Blessing:
God is going to win the battle. Every wrong is going to be judged, and every right is going to be upheld and renewed. It may not come as we expect it, or in our timing, but God will and has overcome. David lived into the blessing and calling at his time to encourage and lead the Israelites, they needed faith, hope, justice, and grace. May we also live into the calling that is before us to be representatives of Christ, trusting not in our own ideas and laws, but to lean into the example laid out in scripture. This is God’s battle and He will win, we must have faith and trust, to depend in His strength and timing.
May the Lord of Life and Redemption be with you in every step, every breath, and every heartbeat of your journey.
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