God's Glory Through the Battle

(King) David is basically the man. And I love that he doesn't even think it. There is something so memorable about the people in the bible that did great things and never acted proud or took the credit for it. David takes the challenge to fight Goliath, when no one else would and was criticized for attempting. Yet David knew all along he would be victorious because God was with him. With a single stone, he knocks the giant down, walks over to him, and cuts off his head. And through all of the praise and popularity he got from it by the others, David never took the glory.

My thoughts are a little jumbled and all over the place, but I felt like I learned so much from David and Goliath's story:

God fights our battles for us. Even when it seems like an impossible situation, view it from God's point of view. Nothing is impossible with Him. Criticism didn't stop David, as it shouldn't stop us. Even if we are doing something God has asked of us, people may still try to discourage us with negative comments. There are always going to be those people who oppose something we do in life, but we need to continue to do what we know is right. By doing what is right, we are pleasing God, who's opinion is the only one that really matters.

David takes off the armor the Israelites give him before facing Goliath because he's not comfortable in it. He realizes he doesn't need it to protect him, which made me think about all of the things in my life that make me feel safe and protected. While the Lord should be at the top of that list, so often it's not. God is our sole protector, He is all we need to survive. And above all, we need to understand that and embrace that.

Before facing the giant, David cries out to him, "I come to you in the name of the LORD Almighty. Today the LORD will conquer you. The whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone will know that the LORD does not need weapons to rescue his people. It is His battle, not ours." David gives the glory all to God, never once saying HE would kill Goliath or that HE was the strong one. He simply acknowledged that God was the powerful One that would save the Israelites from the Philistines.

To review, David's story in 1 Samuel 17 has taught me this:

1. Look at impossible situations from God's perspective. Nothing is too great a problem, too hard a circumstance, for God to intervene and rescue us.

2. Continue to do what is right in God's eyes regardless of the criticism from others. God's opinion is the only one we should care about.

3. The Lord is your protector. When seeking a safe place, seek Him.

4. Give all glory to God, who first gives us the ability to accomplish everything we do.