February 26
Top-ten material
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of…David… Hebrews 11:32 (NKJV)
If you were to make a top-ten list of instances where man placed his faith in God, where he trusted in the Lord implicitly regardless of external circumstances, David's encounter with Goliath would have to be at the top of your list, or at least very near the top.
Has any human being ever stepped out more confidently on faith's territory than David? He was so convinced, so persuaded, so sold on who God was and what He was able and wanting to do that Goliath didn't even enter into the equation. From David's perspective, it was not David vs. Goliath but God vs. Goliath. And we all know who won that one.
But here's what we need to remember, David's great confidence in God came by way of his great familiarity with God.
As you read the early account of David's life—back when he was a "nobody"—you get the impression that he was sort of shoved aside and neglected. Even his own dad didn't include him with his other brothers when Samuel came to anoint the next King of Israel. The image is of a simple shepherd boy, cast off to care for the family flock, with nobody to talk to except sheep…and God.
We can trace David's extraordinary faith back to the countless hours he spent one-on-one with the Lord. It's not a stretch to surmise that David knew God better than any other person, largely because God was the only one willing to hang out with him.
Even when nobody else wants much to do with us, God does because He's always willing to draw near to those who have a heart to know Him. And as our familiarity with Him grows, our faith grows along with it…becoming something that can slay giants.
When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take care of me. (Psalms 27:10 NKJV)
Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
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