He strode into the valley, and almost skid to a stop. A boy. A young boy stood there. A walking staff was laying on the ground beside him, and something in his hand... a slingshot, a slingshot was in his hand.
He sneered. Hatred filled his heart for this kid who would dare come at him with a slingshot!
Goliath continued walking towards the child. His sword-bearer walked in front of him, and stopped about 20 yards from the boy.
Goliath spat on the dusty ground at his feet. He glared, and projected his voice loudly for all to hear. "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks? I curse you and your God! Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field!" He raised his fist high and roared once again. He continued roaring, turning away from the harmless flee of a boy, and beat his chest. Hoots and hollers rang out from his camp.
They were finally going to destroy the Israelites. Once and for all.
David held his hand up as a visor against the glaring sun. Goliath's words rang out followed by thunderous war cries from him and the Philistine camp. His heart was racing, and there was a part of him that wanted to turn around and run. Run for his life.
But he wasn't going to let that uncircumcised Philistine have the last word. He was going to stand strong for Yahweh.
He raised both his arms up high, screaming his own war cry. Slowly but surely, Goliath noticed him. Goliath turned around and lowered his fist, and soon the enemy camp quieted.
"You come to me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head. I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beast of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand."
David heaved air into his lungs. Adrenaline was coursing through his entire body. He raised his arms again, and screamed. The Israelite camp started whooping, shouting out praise and encouragement.
"Arghhhhhhhhh!"
Everyone went quiet at the sound of Goliath's angry cry. Even from this distance, David could see his nostrils flare. Goliath grabbed his sword, and starting running straight towards him.
The first battle was done. Now, it was time for bloodshed.
Based on 1 Samuel 17:41-47
In this section, David and Goliath face off in a battle more serious then stones, slingshots, swords, and javelins. This was a spiritual battle of faith.
Goliath comes to David, and immediately hates him. He has no mercy for the young man basically giving up his life. He hates him for being young, good-looking, and an Israelite.
David stands before this giant, this warrior who is broad, with muscles thicker then tree trunks, over nine feet tall, and angry. He hears this giant insult him, insult his God, and threaten his life. He can see the gleam of the sword and spear in the sunlight. He can see the blood lust in Goliath's eyes.
Yet he still manages to stand for God.
He stood before that giant, testifying God! How many of us face those life-or-death moments. Those moments where it's live or die. Like some of you, I've read about some of the martyrs for Jesus. I have books filled with their stories, their testimonies, their love, and sacrifice sitting on my shelf. I think, "If I'm ever faced with that, I want to be just as brave." How many of us are faced with that situation? For most of us, we never stand before the life-or-death giant. We stand before the losing-your-soul-or-gaining-the-kingdom-of-Heaven giants. We face life.
Are we winning that battle? Are we even fighting that battle?
"And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospel's will save it.'" Mark 8:34-35
Dying to self everyday, that takes a lot of willpower. That is constantly denying bad attitudes, desires, wants, frustrations, fear, and anything else that would threaten to take hold of us.
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who believes in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20
"And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Galatians 5:24
We don't just want to be faithful in the big moments. We need to be faithful in all the little moments that bring us to those big moments. Does your heart yearn to say what Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." To say those words and know that you did. You were faithful against every giant that came your way, and because of your faithfulness there, you were faithful against the big giant, as well.
That can be your legacy, just like David. All you have to do is fight in God's army, finish the race, and keep the faith. Stand against your giants with your slingshot and stone. Stand.
V. Joy Palmer
Check out http://snackpackdevotionsforkidz.blogspot.com
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