David and Goliath

Most of us have heard the account of David and Goliath growing up at some point in our lives! This morning I was reading for class and I came across the account of David killing Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. All of the Israelite men were afraid of the nine foot giant, Goliath who for forty days would come to ranks of the Israelites and challenge them to send a man for a duel! I then read that David came to the troops to bring some supplies from his father and began to question who giant Philistine was by saying "....who is this uncirumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" 1 Samuel 17:26. David then assured King Saul that the Lord would deliver him from the giant Philistine just as he had delivered him from the bears and lions.

David then approached the line to meet the Philistine with a staff and a slingshot. David said to Goliath "This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may now that there is a God in Israel" 1 Samuel 17:46. This is interesting because David could have easily thought with a rational mind and said to himself "There is no way that I could take him with my own strength... I'm young and I'm much smaller that he!" But what was David's secret? David didn't look at himself in relation to the task that he had!!!!! He looked at the strength and glory of God and was out for the glory of God and was tenacious in seeking that glory for God!! He saw that this giant Philistine was reigning curses on Israel, blaspheming and defaming the glory of God and his people! So David looked 100% to God when he hopped into this battle with Goliath and slain him with a stone!! David wasn't out for himself or for fame, but out for God's glory so that His name would be made known to others!

Neat account huh? But what does this have to do with our lives today?
We as Christians have a monunmental task set before us today called the Great Commission given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ! We have been appointed by God to bring the gospel of Jesus to this lost world, and what a great and difficult task it seems like to us. We have all sorts of opposition that we cannot seem to get past, like thoughts of discouragement, unbelief, slander, personal reputation, fear, and the list goes on! But just as David faced a seemingly impossible opponent and eagerly met him at the frontlines with his eyes focused on God, we are to do the same with the Great Commission! We are to meet this great task of reconciling souls to God head on with our eyes totally on the Lord! We are to focus on spreading his glory and fame throughout this world, and not on ourselves or what it will make us look like, feel like, or even what might happen to us! I fear that many of us have turned our gaze inward or on the wrong thing as we have tried to spread the gospel of God's grace! Maybe we have been too introspective or maybe we have worried too much about what others may think of us!

Take David's example and keep your eyes Fixed on Jesus Christ, and remember that you're out battling for the glory of the Lord... not your own or even the glory of those that we try to reach! If God was with David when he stepped up to Goliath for His glory, will he not be with you, His own child, when you step up to the task of the Great Commission for the glory of Jesus Christ?