When you hear someone talk about David v. Goliath what comes to mind? For me it is all those years while growing up in the church, that we were told the story of this young man named David who beat this huge giant named Goliath with just a sling shot and a stone. Even at a young age I was able to wrap my mind around the fact that there had to be some help for David. In life there are times where we come up against a Goliath. It may not be a physically 9 foot tall man, but it can seem just about as hopeless as I'm sure it looked for David. In 1 Samuel we are told that Goliath is shouting to the Israelites and egging them on to come and attempt to fight him. Goliath has this very cocky attitude because he believes himself to be invincible. This can be seen in everyday life in the sense that there are things that we come up against that may seem to tower over us to such an extent that it looks hopeless.
Well David didn't let the looks of the situation stop him. He had a faith in his Lord to protect him. David has just come out of the fields where he was tending to his flock and while he was there he killed a lion and a bear. The Lord had timed it where David had build up his confidence by saving his flock from those beasts, and that gave him a little more faith to then stand at the feet of a giant. In the field the Lord provided David with the strength to kill what was attempting to hurt his flock of sheep. In the battlefield the Lord then provided David with the strength and courage that no one else had, and also provided him with the perfect tool to take down what was attempting to hurt the Lord's flock.
There is nothing that says this was an easy task for David, but with the Lord's strength and help he was able to accomplish such a difficult task. In life when there are tough times, it is okay to ask for help or to rely on the Lord. He is there for us, and He longs for us to have that relationship with Him and to trust Him to provide us with what we need to conquer what He brings us up against. For David, he just needed some inner strength, a sling shot, a stone, and of course most important of all...the Lord!
Below I have posted the lyrics to the song Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns. This song means a whole lot to me for many different reasons. The main thing I remember about this song is when I first heard it and really listened to the lyrics. I had a teammate introduce me to this song back in high school. I can remember that day like it was just yesterday except for a few unimportant details. We were having our pre game talk before one of our playoff games my sophomore year. I was on Varsity, but really never saw the court unless we were smoking them or an unfortunate injury had taken place. I had been struggling with that and with knowing who in my head to listen to. Well this teammate of mine had opened us up with prayer and had us listen to this song. We were the underdogs coming in to the match. The papers were already assuming the other team had won. Of course, as any athlete would be thinking, we were ready to prove them wrong. We sat and listened to this song soaking up every word. When the song ended, I remember being just ready to go out there and show everyone they were wrong about our team. We talked about the David and Goliath story, and how the Lord gave David the correct tools he needed to take down the giant. We focused on listening to our coach and each other and not what others had put in our head. We really took that song and made it happen. One of the details I don't remember is the outcome of that match, but the feeling I had with my team before going into it and the lesson we took from it is so much greater than what the outcome was.
VOICE OF TRUTH: CASTING CROWNS
"Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
To the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out his hand
But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. 'Boy, you'll never win!'
"You'll never win"
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
And the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid!"
And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a Sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again "boy, you'll never win!
"You'll never win"
But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth"
As we go about our daily lives, we should remember this story of David and Goliath. Not for the fact that the underdog won, but for the fact that the Lord got David through what he was brought up against. We may be asked to step out of our comfort zone, but the Lord is there with us every step of the way! Have a blessed week!
