Giant-Sized Faith

I Samuel 17:45
Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."

In the Bible we read a story about two men: one a great, great big man who didn't love God, and didn't know God, and didn't really want anything to do with the true and living God; and another, an average sized young man who did love God, and served God, and wanted to do whatever God wanted Him to do.

It's the story of David and Goliath. You know how the story goes. There were two armies camped on either side of a valley. The army of the Israelites: God's chosen people, the people that loved and served God. The ones for whom He did special miracles and blessings. And on the other side, the Philistines: an army of people who didn't love God, and didn't know God, and didn't want to serve God.

The army of the Philistines had threatened to wipe out the children of Israel and they sent their biggest man, Goliath, with a challenge to say, "Whoever will come and fight me, I will fight. If I win, you will be our slaves; and if you win, we will be your slaves." I hesitate to say it, but the army of Israel really was not doing so well. In fact, they were just plain scared; until David, a young man with his tremendous faith in God came along. Because you see, David knew something that the other people had forgotten about. David knew that God gives us the power to do whatever we have to do, no matter the circumstances.

With that thought in mind, David went out to fight Goliath. He didn't have the weapons. He didn't have the strength. But he certainly had faith - faith in a God who was big enough to defeat a 9-foot tall giant. David knew and based his faith on the fact that God would give him the strength to do whatever he had to do, no matter what the circumstances. David won that battle because of his faith. He faced Goliath saying, "I come to you not with my strength and might, but in the name of the Lord." I don't know what challenges you're facing, but I would encourage you to believe what David believed - that God will give you the power to do whatever you need to do, no matter what the circumstances. How can you do that? As you trust Him, He'll just make things happen that you never believed possible. He'll give you extra strength. He'll give you extra courage. He can provide extra funds, extra work, extra assurance, extra peace, extra calm, extra kind people to help fix broken ars, mend broken hearts. He can do all. Remember, my friend, He can give you the power to do and to take care of whatever needs to be, no matter what the circumstances.

By Dr. Ann Shorb

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