David 1, Goliath 0

1 Samuel 17

There is an obvious problem in today’s OT story. There is something that is tormenting Israel, King Saul, and God. Armies of both the Israelites and the Philistines are assembled in the heat of the day and echoing through the region is blasphemy calling out to the God of Israel. Israel’s army shuttered at the thought of what lies before them, so they wait and pray. What was before them was a giant.

It is the giants in our life that trouble us. Everyone has them! When I was in school it was the next assignment. When I played ball it was the next game. Now that I’m an adult it is the next month’s bills; the next child’s dental appointment, or the time waiting for my children to return home safely when they’re gone with friends. Goliath seems to morph into the looming of college. I was officiating a wedding last week, and I was introduced to a friends mother. She listed the giants in her life that she had defeated…she said, “I made it through college and the orthodontist.” Not bad now that I think about it.

We all have giants that call out blasphemies against that which we hold dear. Then they manage to squirm their way between the person we want to be and God. They instill doubt and deceit. Doubt in thinking that we are not good enough to overcome or strong enough to endure. Deceit in thinking this is the way things are…this is the life God wants for us. Don’t be fooled!

What do we do when these giants seem too large…too powerful to overcome?

I had a salesman friend that would listen to motivational tape after tape. He had them downloaded on his iPod so that he could exercise in the morning and listen to them before work. He said that they really “psyched” him up for his day. Not too long ago I read somewhere that we don’t need to be “psyched up,” but rather what we need is to be “powered up.” I agree, I don’t think our success in defeating the giants in our life hinges on our being “psyched up.” However, I think our giants are defeated when we are “powered up” with the Holy Spirit.

Why do we think we are called to maneuver through this world defeating the giants in our life by ourselves? Does relying on God means something other than relying on God? In my life I have managed to botch just about everything that I have ever tried to do “by myself.” I didn’t go to seminary “by myself”…I took a whole church with me that prayed and financially supported me. That was God! Did I take test or write papers to the point of even passing classes “by myself.” Nope, that was God as well! I graduated and as I reached for my diploma my friends and family fought back the tears, then I couldn’t walk off the stage for the dust where a falling Goliath slammed into the floor. That was certainly God! No way am I responsible for any of these blessing “by myself.” I am singing the Doxology!

The story of David and Goliath offer an example of what one can do with the help of God. Our story is about a young anointed David following God’s will for the sake of Israel.

We recognize that David is following his father’s orders to carry an “ephah of parched grain” and “ten loaves” to the camp of his older brothers. He left his duties at home to do what his father had commanded. Once David was at the battlefield he was captured by the excitement generated by the two armies. It was then and there that David heard Goliath spewed threats toward the Israelites. Our scripture claims, “Saul and all of Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid” (vs. 11).

Goliath was a mammoth of a man. He stood, according to the Harper Collins Study Bible, roughly 6’ 9’’ tall. Goliath was a very large believable figure but not a fairy-tale monster. He was experienced in the acts of war; a “champion” as it would seem. He was suited in the finest protective armor that had spoiled many competitors’ confrontations.

Meanwhile back at the ranch…Saul was having difficulty deciding who David was as it seems. This proves odd, because in the previous chapter Saul hired David as an “armor-bearer.”

Saul tries to discourage David from fighting, but understands that his attempt to discourage this courageous youth would be futile. So, King Saul attempts to equip David with the necessities of warfare.

This is my favorite part. In the reflection of this text, I see this mimicking today’s church. King Saul wanted David to wear armor designed for battle, because that is the way it is done. Surprisingly, the institution expects others to do what they always done to perpetuate the institution. David’s essence understands that to defeat the Goliath giant while doing thing as they’ve always been done will lead to certain failure. David’s temperament is…his God is worth his best effort.

Two weeks ago I told you…if you are serious about you faith then act like! Last week we talked about change …doing things differently means invoking real change, because what we’ve been doing isn’t working. David was committed. Are we?

This leads me to another point in our story. Once David decided to fight he ran headlong toward his foe. This set Goliath on his heels for David to launch a devastating blow to the Philistine army. David conquered his Goliath, and you can too with God’s help. Each morning before you get dress the only armor you need to conquer the Goliath for that day is the Holy Spirit.

You like apples? How about them apples?