David - Bible Story Reader Book One
TO CHEW ON: "Moreover David said, 'The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.'" 1 Samuel 17:37.
So much of how we handle life's challenges depends on our outlook. That is molded by what voices we listen to and what we tell ourselves.
David could have been discouraged from facing Goliath at several points.
- His older brother questioned his right to be there. He reminded David that he was merely a shepherd, not a soldier. He accused David of wrong motives, of coming to the battlefield out of curiosity, insolence, and pride.
- Saul reminded him of his youth and inexperience.
- David could have backed down after taking a good look at Goliath. But David saw this enemy in an interesting way. Goliath's defiance of God prompted David to put him in the same category as the brute beasts—the lion and bear that God had helped him defeat.
Instead of looking at himself or the enemy, David's entire focus was on God. In the light of God's power and greatness David's lack of training, youth, inexperience, and the size and ferocity of the enemy were non-issues.
He models a very basic principle of faith for us. For we too need to keep our eyes on God and nothing else. We can very quickly talk ourselves away from the battlefield if we focus on the big problem and our lacks. But when we focus on God, recalling how the Bible describes Him and reviewing how He has helped us in the past, we'll have the faith to go out and face our giants.
PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for David's incredible faith. Please help me to put my faith in You and not listen to voices that tell me the problem is too big and I am inadequate. Amen.
MORE: God-focus verses to memorize
Philippians 4:13
2 Corinthians 12:9
Ephesians 3:16
Colossians 1:11
1 Timothy 1:12
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
