Trust

1 SAMUEL 17; PSALM 9

Today's scripture is a very common and well known passage in the Bible. It is known to Christians and non-Christians alike. This is the story of David and Goliath. It is a story that has become essentially a folk legend. If you mention David and Goliath in nearly any walk of life people will know what you are talking about. The amazing part is that it is historical and truly happened. It is not merely a folk tale.

It was very interesting that although it is a common story there are still things that struck me as I read it. One of the first things that caught my attention was the fact that Goliath came out and challenged the Israelites to fight him for forty days. I am a fan of the show Survivor and that is longer than any of the people are on the island in that show. Reading the story now it is almost comical that for forty days the Israelites were on one hill and the Philistines were on another and every day this giant came out and yelled at the Israelites. That is a long time to go through the exact same motions and accomplish nothing.

Also, it says that they when they heard Goliath yell the Israelites turned and ran away in fear. That means every day they woke up and were confident that they would be brave and would conquer and then every day Goliath would come out and yell and they would run away as if it was the first time they had ever seen him. I'm not sure if they were hoping he would just get bored and stop showing up or maybe get him on a sick day. It seems like a very strange strategy.

They key part of this story I think is the fact that David, a young boy who is a stranger to the majority of the army, is the first and only person to mention the fact that Israel is the Lord's people and that they have God on their side. Nobody else seems to have realized this fact. David approaches Goliath with absolute trust and faith in God. He figures since God protected him from lions and bears he will surley protect him from a giant. David is so confident in God that he uses God as his ammo when he is trash talking Goliath. A young boy must be confident in his God if he is willing to approach a 9 foot tall warrior and trash talk him in the name of God. The theme of obedience carries forward as David has enough trust and faith in God to truly and dutifully obey Him. As is commonly known David defeats Goliath with one stone in a sling and then cuts Goliath's head off with his own sword.

Imagine the power and influence on the world if I had enough trust and faith to wholeheartedly obey God even when faced with the most daunting of tasks. Often God asks us to do something that is huge and seems as though it is too much for us to possibly do on our own. Well guess what? It is too much to do on our own. David could never have defeated Goliath if he had to face him on his own. But he didn't he had God. I need to truly follow David's example and without question step out in faith and know that God is going to take care of me when I am doing what he has asked of me. I cannot possibly claim to be a follower of God if I do not trust that he is going to take care of me. When I call myself a Christian I am saying that I have given my life over to God. well it is time to truly trust Him with my life and give it to Him. If I hold back I am preventing myself from truly and completely obeying and trusting God.

Dear God,

You have given me such incredible examples of faithful servants in your Word. I strive to be able to obey and trust in you with the confidence and assurance that David had before Goliath. I know that I cannot have that trust on my own strength. So right now I rededicate myself to you. I give my life into your hands. Any task that you put before me I am ready to put my full trust in you and accept your will for my life no matter how daunting it may seem. Thank you that you are the most trustworthy leader that could and can ever be. I pray that you will give me the courage to continue to trust and obey you regardless of what lies before me. I place myself into your hands and am prepared to follow you. Lead me.

Amen