David faced giants. Yes I said "giants." Oh, I know he killed Golliath with a sling and a stone.
The story is found in 1 Samuel 17. The Philistine army is taunting the army of Israel with a giant
name Goliath. Just his name sounds ominous, doesn't it? This was one bad dude! David was just a
teenager but God had been giving him skill as a shepherd. When you are a shepherd you have to fill your time doing something. Those dumb old sheep wander off and fall over and just are a handful but I'm sure there were times when the sheep were grazing contently beside quiet streams (read Psalm 23).
David had lots of practice time with a sling and those river stones. He had even defended his sheep from wild animals with it! But a bear is one thing and a humongous giant is another, especially when he's making fun of you and of your God! David had faith, not just in his ability to sling a stone, but in God whom he knew could do the seemingly impossible. The garb of a soldier just didn't feel right on him and constricted his movements so he went out to face Goliath with no protection other than God Almighty.
Note in vs 37 that David gives God the glory for helping him fight off both the bear and the lion who attacked his sheep. David knew where his abilities came from and he wanted king Saul to know it too!
The smooth stones he chose could possibly travel up to 100 miles per hour by someone with his skill.
And since he chose 5 stones don't think that he didn't know that only one of them would be necessary.
Goliath wasn't the only giant the Philitines had in their arsenal. It is very likely that David counted on killing not one but 5 giants that day. Even before he slung the stone at the giant, David knew that God would give the victory. He was going in God's strength and knew that God would do what he would do with whatever David had to give Him. David gave God his all, not just on that day but for his life. Sure, David made mistakes and David sinned greatly later in his life, but God still said that David was a man after his own heart.
What are the giants that you face today?
Let me tell you some of the giants that I've faced.
Failure. I've been fired from more jobs than I care to talk about. Failure in relationships with my wife and children.
Fear. I've been afraid of failure and afraid of success. Fear of making the wrong decisions.
Not living up to expectations of others and of myself.
I want to remind you today that you don't have to face your "giants" with your own strength.
Whatever you have be it small or great, give it to God and see what He will do with it.
Imperfect as each of us are God can and will use us to bring glory and honor to Him IF we allow it.
Humble yourself to Him today. Come to him and confess your imperfections, your weaknesses, your fears.
Give it to Him daily and see just how God can bless it to feed multitudes.
Remember Jesus took 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed 5000 men with it with basketfuls left over!
Just think what he can do with what you have to give. He will use it to bless others and to bring them to himself. Lay it all at the foot of the cross. Die to self for it is in dying that we live.
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