Scripture
36I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!” 1 Samuel 17:36-37
Observation
His brothers said he was full of pride, King Saul said he was foolish, but David knew who he was. More importantly he knew who his God was. David stood his ground when rejected by his own. David stood his ground when attacked by lions and bears in the fields. So, when Saul spoke to his lack of experience David made it clear this wasn’t his first rodeo. The God who had met him then would meet him again.
Application
I remember standing in the Valley of Elah a few years ago on our trip to Israel. It’s one of the few famous spots mentioned in Scripture that remains untouched and very much the same as it was on that day David walked out to face his giant. As I stood in the creek bed where David may have found his five smooth stones I thanked God for making it real to me. The fields we will be fighting in today are where we wake, work, and worship. The valley’s we will be taking a faith stand in are filled with fearful people all around us telling us there’s no way we can win. The very ones we are fighting for may be the very ones tearing us down. The economic challenges, the relational brokenness, the massive divides in our country threaten to crush us. But, this isn’t our first rodeo. The God who fought for us then will fight for us again. Yesterdays trouble was preparation for todays triumph. David didn’t draw his confidence from his family or his king, but from His God. It’s Godfidence we walk in today. When I faced what felt like insurmountable challenges in taking a new church in the middle of a pandemic I often felt like I had not frame of reference for what I was facing. Then, God would take me back to one victory after another from my past and show me I actually had everything I needed to win in Him again! This was my first pandemic but it wasn’t my first rodeo.
Prayer
Lord, You have been so faithful and true through and through! I’ve had many naysayers on many sides telling me this wasn’t going to work, the church was dying, people were leaving and not going to come back and that I did not have what it takes. Admittedly, most of those voices were in my head and yet You have silenced them all. Today’s trial is preparation for tomorrow's triumph and I’m just glad I’m not standing alone. I’ve found my field and I’m taking my stand and You are fighting my battles.
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