Im listening to a podcast right now by Jenifer Toledo
and shes speaking about justice.
She's sharing the story of David and Goliath.
Im sure most of you know the story,
but lemme just give a little recap.
Alright.
So the Phillistines were waging war against the Israelites.
The Philistines had a giant named Goliath.
He was over 9ft. tall, and he daily mocked the Israelites, saying:
"This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other."
David was a shepard.
Day by day, he would take food to his older brothers
who were fighting the Philistines.
One day as David met his brothers,
he heard Goliaths taunts and said to his people:
"Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"
David went to Saul and volunteered to fight.
Saul told him he was unable.
That he was just a boy.
David's reply?
"Your servant has been keeping his fathers sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it, and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
What?!
Im sorry, did you just read that?
This is a puny, lowly shepard boy saying this.
Its easy to read this and think
"dude, David's a bad-ass!"
Of course I agree.
But there is something more to this story.
David wasn't just saying these things.
He actually believed them.
He believed God to kill the lion and the bear,
and from those experiences of saying no to fear
he was able to defy a freakin giant.
David marched forward with a sling and five stones.
Goliath taunted him and said he'd give his flesh to
the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.
Davids response?
"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; FOR THE BATTLE IS THE LORDS, and he will give all of you into our hands."
Then David pulled out his sling,
flung a stone,
and it hit Goliath between the eyes and he fell.
Ive heard this story a thousand times.
But never has it hit me like this.
David was just a puny little kid.
But his greatest strength was found in the knowledge
of the power of his God.
He had no ceiling.
He knew God would come through.
Never once questioned it,
and he killed a freakin giant.
I think what scares me most is that I'm not sure I believe God like this.
But I know there's grace.
And even now I'm feeling inspired.
I have big dreams for my life.
And I know God does too.
i don't wanna live my life with a ceiling
that caps what my God can do.
im done with ceilings.
Hes a freakin endless ocean.
I think God's looking to rise up a generation of giant-killers.
It starts with you and I.
Fear is the greatest giant.
In the Kingdom, there is no room for fear.
When we overcome the fear in our lives,
we can look at giants and laugh and tell them they
have to bow in Jesus' name.
God, I wanna be a giant-killer.
