David said to the Philistine, “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 army 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 LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands. As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 1 Samuel 17:45-50
The story of David and Goliath is perhaps one of the greatest stories in the Bible. It’s the ultimate underdog tale. A little shepherd boy takes down a giant Philistine warrior with faith, a sling and a stone. An unlikely hero in David, and a nasty villain in Goliath. But it so so much more than a great Bible story. It’s a story of faith in dire circumstances, and a yet another prime example that nothing – absolutely nothing – is too big for God, not even a nine-foot-tall armor-plated warrior giant!
At this point in the story, Saul is still king, but God, through Samuel, has appointed David as his successor (Saul hasn’t figured this out yet). The Spirit of God is actively working in David’s life, and with confidence in his Father, he does the job in faith, flinging the stone and killing the giant against all odds!
I often wonder what the scene was like that day. I love movies, so I always picture this epic, slow motion action scene. The two fighters circle each other for a little while, sizing each other up in classic duel. A tumbleweed blows across the scene (OK so it’s in the desert, so sue me), and David blurts out, “There ain’t enough room in Israel for the both of us.” Goliath laughs confidently, and explains his evil plan in meticulous detail, like movie villains always do. David, full of the Spirit, springs into action, and slings his stone, his miracle three-pointer. The camera zooms to a shot that follows the stone on its journey. Cut to Israelites grimacing in fear and suspense. Cut to a shot of the Philistines laughing and not taking the fight seriously. All of a sudden, a crack is heard. For an instant, we wonder if the stone hit its mark. The crowd waits with bated breath. And slowly, the giant teeters. Then he totters, and with a mighty fall, he plummets to the earth, defeated. For a split second, a moment of quiet shock ripples through the crowd, who don’t know how to react to what just happened, but then suddenly, an outburst of joy, arms are lifted in victory and it’s official, the underdog has won! Happy day! Cut to credits.
Maybe I should throw in my hat for the movie rights! **crickets** Maybe not.
On a more serious note, the situation that plays out between David and Goliath is a great analogy for us as we “face our giants” in our own life. Whatever that struggle may be – a sin that has latched on and won’t let go, a situation in your life that is causing you stress or spiritual battles, or even health or addiction issues – no giant is too big for God. David had faith that the LORD of Israel would deliver him from the hands of the Philistine.
But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s 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 of 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. 1 Sam. 17:34-37
David recognized the provision God had given him in the past, saw how God had prepared him for this moment and decided to put his faith into Him. What a mature decision for such a young boy! We can learn a lot from his bravery and faith. Whatever you are facing, bring it to God honestly, and He will give you the power you need to conquer it
Take up your sling, walk up to your giant that’s taunting you, bringing fear to you, berating you, bringing you down and challenging you, have faith the LORD will bring you through, and sling your stone with the power of the Spirit, and your Goliath will meet its end as well!
Adam's Odyssey 