David was a shepherd boy who protected his family's sheep. He trusted God to help do this task. Even though David trusted God he still had to face trials. Enemies (wild animals) came after the very sheep he spent his time protecting, but God helped David kill the lions and bears that came after his sheep. Think about it... just a boy out in the fields looking at his sheep when a lion jumps out of the bush and attacks a lamb. Then that boy takes a club and goes after the lion and removes the lamb from the lions mouth. Then when the lion turns on him, he grabs it by the jaw and clubs the animal to death. Sounds kind of impossible... without God.
When David is trying to convince Saul that he is capable of going out to fight Goliath he tells Saul of the times he defeated these enemies (wild animals) with God's help. David didn't volunteer to fight Goliath because he wanted to show his brothers and the rest of the army what an amazing fighter he was. He didn't want to prove himself, he wanted to prove God! And when he goes out and stands before Goliath, David is proclaiming that God will prove Himself. See David has experienced God's protection and help. He knows that when he walks into a situation that looks impossible, God is going to be there. God had already proved Himself to David, now God was going to prove Himself again to the armies of Israel and the Philistines.
We all know the end of the story. David takes a smooth stone that he picked out of the river, placed it in his sling shot and knocked Goliath out. Then he took the same sword that Goliath was going to use to kill David and he cut Goliath's head off.
Right now I'm facing a situation that looks impossible, but it also looks familiar. I've seen God take this same situation I'm in right now and prove Himself and I am full of faith that He will do it again. He is faithful! Just like David had to step out and stand alone and only had God, so we have to take that same step. We can't just sit back with the rest of the army, shaking in our boots wondering what God is going to do... We have to step out, even if we don't look like the right candidate for the job, even if the odds are against us...
I found this really encouraging and I hope it encourages you as well!
When I was in Israel I went to the place where David killed Goliath. It's a beautiful field with a dry riverbed that runs through the valley between two hills. I picked a smooth stone from the riverbed that I still have, just like David did once so long ago:-) I can never hear the story of David & Goliath without picturing it in my mind exactly where it happened. It's wonderful. Anyway, good word my friend!
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