“Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God (1 Samuel 17:26)?”
I love this line from David. He is the youngest of his brothers and likely the smallest. He is not supposed to be anywhere near the battle lines. Everyone is fearful that this little guy might get hurt or killed if he wanders too close to the action. Meanwhile Goliath, a ripply, muscle-hardened giant dares the Israelites to challenge him! That’s when David utters the great line above! “Who the heck does this guy think he is, challenging God like that?”
Many of us remember that David went out there without any armor, any special training, or any special weapons. He sunk a rock, flung from a slingshot, into Goliath’s forehead. David believed God would give him what he needed no matter how bad the odds of the circumstances might have looked, and God did.
As we look to 2016, I’m aware there are many giant issues in the world today, terrorism, evil governments, hunger, global warming. But we are people of faith in a God who is larger than all of these issues combined! What giant are you facing in 2016? A relationship that looks so tangled that you don’t see any way to bring peace to it…mountainous tasks at work that you aren’t sure you can handle…temptations you don’t have the strength to overcome…a hurt that threatens to drag you under?
This year, may God give us the faith of David to say, “Are any of these circumstances too big for my God?” And may God give us the courage to act on that faith by heading into the fight. Here is a prayer from the book Common Prayer:
“Lord, help us to be faithful, even when we face our own fears. Remind us that we are your children, even when we feel inadequate. We know that you have overcome giants and crosses and all things evil. Help our unbelief. Amen.”
May your new year be filled with the hope and power and love of God who is with us to bring us to salvation!
Happy New Year!
Pastor Cameron”