For forty days, the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. – 1 Samuel 17:16 NIV
Forty days have I heard Goliath screaming in the distance, eight feet tall with 125 pounds of armor, daring me to step forward. Slingshot in hand, by the Power of God, Goliath fell. I marched onward victorious only to encounter the shadow of the next Goliath, and the next.
Lifted by the Mighty Hands of God and clothed in the armor of Christ, the flesh beneath is weak and the heart is fragile. When steps forward are not long enough, holes form in the chain-mail that protects my inmost being leaving me a bit more broken at each turn.
Much like young David, I cannot bear the weight of another’s armor, their mocking words driving me to my knees. Yet little do they know it is where I find my strength.
Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale? Isaiah 40:12 – NLT
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:28,31 NLT
Where else would I go? Shields and spears result in more shields and spears. One good swing only deserves another. I instead grab the slingshot of my youth, a fragile prayer to the open heart of Abba Father, the Creator of All Things. One smooth stone guided by the Hand of God and Goliath crumbles. Other giants may stand in my way, but stones are plentiful and the Power of the Lord is everlasting.
Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. Isaiah 40:28-29 NLT
Cowering from fear of the thundering voice of a giant, the Lord emboldens me to say,
Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God? All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands. 1 Samuel 17:26,47
I pray these words may echo and allow me to stand firm when Goliaths abound.
Amen …
