1 Samuel 17:39-47
David strapped on a sword and tried to walk around, but he was not used to wearing those things.
"I can't move with all this stuff on," David said. "I'm just not used to it."
David took off the armor and picked up his shepherd's stick. He went out to a stream and picked up five smooth rocks and put them in his leather bag. Then with his sling in his hand, he went straight toward Goliath.
Goliath came toward David, walking behind the soldier who was carrying his shield. When Goliath saw that David was just a healthy, good-looking boy, he made fun of him. "Do you think I'm a dog?" Goliath asked. "Is that why you've come after me with a stick?" He cursed David in the name of the Philistine gods and shouted, "Come on! When I'm finished with you, I'll feed you to the birds and wild animals!"
David answered: You've come out to fight me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I've come out to fight you in the name of the LORD All-Powerful. He is the God of Israel's army, and you have insulted him too!
Today the LORD will help me defeat you. I'll knock you down and cut off your head, and I'll feed the bodies of the other Philistine soldiers to the birds and wild animals. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a real God. Everybody here will see that the LORD doesn't need swords or spears to save his people. The LORD always wins his battles, and he will help us defeat you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A few nights ago, my husband and I watched the movie Secretariat. If you haven’t seen it yet, put it on your list to rent soon. As we watched, I told my husband, “There seems to be a lot of sadness (and struggle) in this story.” He laughed and said, “You remember how it ends, don’t you?” I did, but still, the writers/directors had done a great job of maintaining the suspense and interest… and weaving stories of interpersonal relationships in along the way.
We know how the “story” ends with God, too. We know that He always wins his battles… and yes, most of us know – if only deep down – that God will help us defeat our enemies. But we tend to waste a lot of time trying to change the story… even when that makes no sense. At best, we try to fight our own battles, handle things our way and on our own timetable… and in essence, we walk through life burdened with all of the armor that weighed David down and would have impeded his ability to fight.
It’s time we took off the heavy armor… the defense mechanisms, the defeatist attitudes, the worry, frustration and fear that the devil tries to heap on us… and let God fight our battles. He may fight for us – or He may work through us to accomplish His purposes. Either way, we know how this ends… God wins! And if we trust him to fight our battles, so do we.
©2011 Debbie Robus
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