As I come before You tonight, Father, I would ask that I would put all else out of mind but You and Your word. May the reality of both fill my being. Amen.

Luke 9:12-17 (<<click to read the passage)

One of my favorite Bible stories is the tale of David and Goliath. It is one of those stories that we first hear in Sunday School as a child. Of course, I grew up with the high-tech medium of flannelgraph! One-dimensional characters of felt were cut out and placed on a felt background appropriate for the story being told. I tell you; it was highly entertaining! And we learned and remembered important lessons from God’s word! But back to David and Goliath…

Put side by side, there was no comparison. He was a worthy adversary for lions and bears (oh my!) but he, unlike Goliath, was not a battle-hardened warrior. David was probably of average stature but just a youth. Goliath, on the other hand, was a giant – the Bible says he was over nine feet tall!

The Bible says Goliath was wearing a bronze helmet, a bronze coat of mail (125 pounds!), bronze leg armor, a bronze javelin, a spear (the shaft as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam) tipped with an iron spearhead (another 15 pounds!). (1 Samuel 17:5-7 AMP)

And David’s entire defense apparatus? A shepherd’s staff, five smooth stones, and a sling!

Many thought him crazy, but David’s defense was more than staff, some stones, and sling

“You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I will strike you down…so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that this entire assembly may know that the Lord does not save with the sword or with the spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will hand you over to us.” 1 Samuel 17:45-47 (AMP)

So, in the Lord’s strength and power that’s exactly what David did! With a single stone strategically thrown from his sling, he took down the mighty warrior as the stone embedded itself deep within Goliath’s forehead. And he fell dead, to rise no more!

At this point, you are probably wondering, “What in the world does this have to do with Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000?” Well, let me tell you!

David may have been Israel’s lone “warrior”, but he was by no means alone. He proclaimed for all to hear, “I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel”! (NIV)

When asked by His disciples to send the crowds away so they might find food and shelter, Jesus’ reply was, “You feed them.”

Many may have thought (for a moment at least) that Jesus was crazy, but just like David’s mind was not focused on his staff, stones, and sling, Jesus’ mind was not focused on food or money. He was the Lord Almighty! And He plus anything – or anybody – is more than enough!

There may be all kinds of giants around us – especially where we find ourselves today – and yes, we in ourselves are helpless. All we have – maybe! – is a staff, some stones, and a sling…or perhaps “five loaves of bread and two fish”. A paltry defense against the onslaught of this world but, my friend, if we come against those overwhelming circumstances “in the name of the Lord Almighty” nothing – absolutely nothing – can stand against us, “for the battle is the Lord’s”! Take courage, cling to the Lord, for therein is the victory! Amen and amen!

Apr 7th, 2020, Tue, 6:52 pm