Really, What Giant?

1 Samuel 17:52

⁵²Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron.

Observation:

            The story of David and Goliath is perhaps one of the most famous of Bible stories. David is the hero; he is young, handsome, and God-fearing. He faces an epic struggle against the mighty villain Goliath. Sadly, most people only see the story as the little guy beating the big guy, but this is not what the story is about. It is about faith in Yahweh, and the declaration there is only one god and it is the God of Israel.

            What is fascinating is that Israel does not seem to get that their God is all-powerful. Israel forgets their entire history with Yahweh and his mighty works. David seems to be the only person who has complete faith in God. David has no fear of the giant standing before him. He takes his stone, pelts Goliath in the head, and kills him. David does not take credit for the victory he gives all the glory to God.

            Once the giant is killed the army of Israel is emboldened and take off after the Philistines. David stands out as God’s follower, and the people are no longer afraid. David proves his point that God, Yahweh, is their deliverer, and the folks decide it is safe to follow. Perhaps everyone needs a David to get the people moving in the direction of God.

Application:

            David is not out matched by Goliath. Size and ability do not matter in God’s kingdom. Or, do they? David is fairly common (other than his good looks). He is a talented shepherd. Not typically, a trait seen in soldiers but God has prepared him through his defense of flock, Israel. God did not choose someone without ability, he chose someone who was good at what he did as a shepherd, and who had faith that God could do anything through him.

            We are not all talented at everything. In fact, some of us are only talented in one thing. However, we can all have the faith of David. Faith is not a talent, and I would argue is not a natural strength.  Faith is cultivated through our response to God each day. As we trust God, he strengthens our faith and prepares us to face the Goliaths in our life. Goliath is an allusion. Just like death, he is a shadow that brings fear, but God is truth. God is bigger than anything we ever face. There are no giants in the Kingdom of God. Everything is small before him. God was not afraid of Goliath and therefore David had no fear.

            Just like Israel, many today sit in fear of the Goliaths (Healthcare coverage, taxes, lost jobs, etc.). God is not afraid of these things. He is not in fear of human trafficking, child sexual assault, atheism, agnosticism, materialism, Satanism, humanism, or any other ism we can muster. He is not afraid of the republicans or the democrats, or any nation on earth. When we trust in God, Yahweh, Jesus, we are more than conquerors. This does not mean every giant falls when we want it to, but it does mean that God will be victorious in his time and his way.

            Perhaps what we need is to show the Body of Christ that there are David’s who do not fear the enemies, and who are going out to battle in justice, and the powers of darkness in this world. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood; people are not our enemy. We must preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a message of Agape (Love). It is like a stone that penetrates the mind and heart transforming us in to the Image of God.

Prayer:

            Jesus, you are my strength. You stood before humanity and we beat you and crucified you. Nevertheless, your faith was in the Father. Though the shadow of death came over you, you did not fear the evil. I do not have such faith. I am weak but you are strong. Strengthen me by your faith, so that I might be emboldened to rush the gates of hell, so that your light can break into the hells that people are living in. Help me to fear no giant, for I know you are greater than all things. Help me to be a David to others so that they will fear no evil. You are the great shepherd. Lead me I pray. - Amen

Coming Out of the Supply Room

1 Samuel 10:22

²² So they inquired further of the LORD, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.”

Observation:

            Against Samuels desires the people have requested a King, just like all the nations around them. This disturbs Samuel but God reminds him that the people are rejecting God, not Samuel. God then leads Saul, a Benjamite, on a journey looking for donkeys. Saul’s journey leads him to Samuel and the declaration that he would become Israel’s first king.

            Samuel sends Saul home and tells him of the events that will take place on his journey. These include the receiving of bread, and prophesying with three prophets. The Scripture tells us that the Spirit of God was on Saul. Which leads us to wonder why was Saul hiding in the supplies?

            This is a common theme in the Old Testament, We see Moses trying to make excuses as to why he cannot do what God asks. Gideon (who hides in a winepress to thresh wheat fears the Midianites) keeps saying ‘But’ to God. The Israelites frequently doubt and fear the call of God in their lives. Saul is no different. Saul set the tone for his reign. He is a cowered who thinks mainly of himself. Nevertheless, God has chosen to make him the first King of Israel.

Application:

            From the time I was very little I have had an extreme fear of heights. I still remember when I was four or five when my dad set me on top of the refrigerator. I freaked out, screaming and crying. I am certain he did not know that would be my reaction. It did not matter that my dad was right in front of me. It did not matter that he was taller than the refrigerator. My fear of heights was greater than what I “knew” about my father.

            It is our human nature to base our actions on our own thinking about what we perceive, even when we have promises from God that he is with us. Dr. David Busic, explains that “…the way we live is a direct result of the size of our God”.¹ For Israel and Saul, they did not recognize the enormity of their God. Even though they witnessed his immense power, even though the nations surrounding them fear their God, their own fears and perceptions made God small.

            It would be easy to point the finger at Israel and ridicule them, but for many Christian’s today we are still doing the same thing. We are trusting in an earthly kings to meet our needs (America, Freedom, Government, etc.). When God calls his people to go and make disciples we might hide in the supply shed, (Church building, home, etc.). We see ourselves as too small, too weak, too ill equipped, or out numbered. Like Saul, we try to hide from the task. Even though we have seen the power of God, it does not matter, because our God becomes small and ultimately our thoughts about the situation are bigger than him.

Prayer:

            Father, You are Creator of the heavens and the earth. You are Sovereign above all things. You are a strong tower; you are our strength and our refuge. You go before me, and behind me. You will not fail. I am nothing, yet you are mindful of me. I have nothing of value yet you call me. In you, I will trust. Forgive me Lord for making you small in my life. When I fear, strengthen me. When I cannot see what is ahead, show your faithfulness in the past. Use me to do your will. - Amen

Like Father - Like Daughter & Son

2 Corinthians 6:18

¹⁸ And, “I will be a Father to you,

            and you will be my sons and daughters,

                                                says the Lord Almighty.”

Observation:

            There is a distinction between those who live in the light of Jesus Christ and those who choose to live in the darkness. It is not possible for darkness to be yoked with light. Light always drives out darkness. Therefore, when the darkness comes alongside the light it will fight against it, and if unable to push the light away the darkness will flee. However, Paul sees a troubling situation in the Corinthian church. The people are trying to live in both fields of light and darkness. Paul is not saying that the church should fail to love those who are in the darkness; rather, the call is to be distinctively separate from the darkness.

            The great promise is that God will be a Father to those who desire to be his sons and daughters. This is not merely an earthly family structure. God as Father watches over his children. He trains them up in the way they should go. He provides for their needs, and he asks them to come and go and be about his business. When his children are disobedient and sinful he disciplines them so that they may be brought into a right relationship with him.

            As children, the people of God seek to bring joy to him. They desire to do his will and seek to do it well. The main difference between children of the earth and the children of God is that the children of God do not seek (ought not) after their own selfish desires. To be a son or daughter of God is to have his Image of pure (Agape) love flowing in their entire being. This can only be done through the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, his one and only born Son.

Application:

            It seems that the church in North America has at times tried to embrace the darkness. We have tried to yoke ourselves to it, only to be frustrated by the conflict that arises. The Church has also spent a good deal of time yelling at the darkness for being so dark. The reality is that the Church is not able to turn darkness into light. Only God can do this. The Church is simply to be the Light in the darkness.

            It is in the peculiar behavior of the Children of God that the world sees the light of Jesus. However, if our behavior and practices are not peculiar then what difference does the world see? The peculiar behavior is not that we are perfect acting, perfect speaking, or even that we are always right (for often we get it wrong). The peculiarity is that we love (Agape), we forgive, we offer ourselves to the abuse of those who hate us, and we trust in the Lord regardless if it makes sense to the those who rail against him.

            We are children of the Living God (Yahweh), we are the brother and sisters of Jesus, the Christ. When we stumble he lifts us up, when we sin he disciplines us, when we are broken he heals us, when we cry he dries our tears, and when we die he resurrects us. We have little to offer God, but as children we offer him or uninhibited love, and we seek to please him.

Prayer: Abba Father, may I always remember that you love me as your child. I am precious to you and you are precious to me. I hope the painting of my life brings a smile to your face, even when the image is blurred, I know that you see me clearly. May my love for you ever increase. Help me to shine your image of Light into dark place. Help to not fear any evil, but to rejoice in your goodness. For you are with me O Lord.  - Amen

Redeemer!

Ruth 2:20

²⁰ “The LORD bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our closest relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.”

Observation:

            Naomi’s husband has died; her two sons have also died. She has traveled back to Israel to the land of the husband’s family in hopes of surviving. This is no small task for her as with the loss of her husband and sons she has no position in society. Both Naomi and he daughter-in-law Ruth are widows. In the male dominated society they lived in, they have now become lower than a slave.

            Nevertheless, Boaz one of Naomi’s closet kin, on her husband’s side, has taken a liking to Ruth. He discovers that she is family and orders his servants to treat her kindly, in fact he instructs them to leave extra grain for her to glean. Naomi explains to Ruth that he is a guardian-redeemer. This is one who would pay an obligation or debt of a family member if for some reason they could not fulfill their obligation.

Application:

            In Ruth we see the strength of a young woman who lovers her mother-in-law. She loves her so deeply she abandons the opportunity to go home. Earlier in the chapter, she whole-heartedly commits herself to Naomi, and Naomi’s God, Yahweh. She cries, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay” (Ruth 1:16-17). Ruth is an image of the one who has fallen in love with Jesus. When one believes on Jesus a deep sense of devotion floods his/her heart. When one fully, turns from all selfish ambition, with no plans for a future a part, with only a steadfast commitment that he/she will stay with Jesus whether in life or death.

            Boaz becomes the image of the Savior. Jesus seeing our great need makes away for us to have life, and life more abundantly. The life Jesus promises is not one financial, or possession prosperity. The life of abundance flows from the great love that fills our hearts. The agape image of God fills our life and we find that have more than we could ever hope for, in him. Jesus is our redeemer. He looks at our hopeless condition and stepped in to meet our need. What Jesus paid was his life.

            It is wonderful to stop the story there if that is all there is to it. After all, why not, we can stop here and look at how blessed we are. The image of God with in us does not stop to merely change our situation and condition; rather, it flows through us moving us to assist in changing the situation and condition of others. We become like Jesus. We become like Ruth & Boaz. We love with a persistence, and we meet the need of others in hopes of lifting them out of their situation.

Prayer: Jesus, you are my redeemer. You have bought me and rescued me from my hopeless situation. You forgave me, and cancelled the debt I owed. Thank you for loving and saving me. Forgive me for my failure in reciprocating this action to others. For those who I have held as indebted to me. O’ Lord forgive me debts and I forgive my debtors. Strengthen my feeble heart so that I may offer you redeeming grace to others. - Amen

The Painful Fight Against Injustice

Judges 20:35

(Read chapters 18,19,20 for background)

³⁵ The LORD defeated Benjamin before Israel, and on that day the Israelites struck down 25,100 Benjamites, all armed with swords.

Observation:

            Some men from the Tribe of Benjamin sexually sinned. Initially the perpetrators wanted to have sex with a Levite male. When the homeowner would not allow it, he gave the men his concubine. They proceeded to rape her all night long and in the morning, she collapsed at the door of her masters home. When the Levite came out in the morning, he found her dead.

            The whole ordeal reveals just how corrupt humanity can be, even those who are supposed to be the chosen people of God. When the rest of the Israelites hear what happened they enquired of the Lord as to what they should do. We are told that God sends them to do battle against the Tribe of Benjamin. The reason for the battle is that the Benjamites would not turn over the men who committed the detestable act.

            Initially the Israelites lose during to attacks. On the third attempt, they finally have victory. With in the nation of Israel there is a great battle over the sinful actions of their brothers. Sadly, many people died on both sides of the issue. The sin of a few men caused great distress for the entire nation.

Application:

            One of the things we learn in the Old Testament is that humanity is very fickle. We can praise God out one side of our mouth but indulge in the most self-centered sin the moment we turn to the other. Sexual assault has been a part of human history for centuries. Nevertheless, this does not mean we should throw up our arms and say, “Oh well, what can I do.” On the contrary, we should be as outraged as the Israelites.

            This month is Sexual Assault Awareness month. Being aware is only the first step. Human trafficking, child sexual abuse, adult/teen rape, etc. all threaten our lives. We are all affected whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. When we refuse to participate in the solution we become like the Benjamites. Though we are not to take up arms and take the law into our own hands, there are many peaceful ways that we can protect, heal, and rescue those who have been treated so poorly. In addition, we can fight to keep others from being victimized.

            One of the lessons of this passage is that the battles are not easy. Often there are casualties on both sides. Sadly, there are no innocent bystanders when it comes to social injustice. There are only four players when it comes to injustice. Those who are victims, those who are perpetrators, those fight against it, and those who ignore it. Perhaps, a passage like this could remind us all that Jesus calls us to care for the oppressed, the widows, the orphans, the poor, and the marginalized.

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for my ignorance in the past. Forgive me for turning a blind eye. Help me to stand up for those who you stand for, to love those who you love, and to peacefully fight for solutions for these sins of our nation. For when one citizen commits these sins Lord, we all have a role to play in ending the injustices. - Amen