Monday, October 19, 2015

Monday, October 19th: 1 Samuel 17-18, 2 Peter 2 ~ Conrad

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is 1 Samuel 17-18; 2 Peter 2

In today's NT reading, we come across a very well known story of David and Goliath. There were a number of verses that I could have pointed out, but I thought I would narrow it down to verse 45 in chapter 17.

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with 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 defied.

David's statement demonstrates that true success comes only through God's help.  David was not trained to be a warrior on the battlefield.  At this time, he was only a boy who had kept watch over his father's sheep.  The Bible doesn't say, but for all we know, David may not have even weighed as much as Goliath's armor did.  As inexperienced as David was in combat, he knew that God could still use him.  In vs 37, David tells Saul that the Lord will deliver him from the Philistine's hand, as He had done from the paw of the lion and bear while shepherding.  David's faith in God was larger than the 9' tall Philistine, and more dangerous than the sword and spear in hand or javelin on Goliath's back.  Even after Goliath attempts to intimidate David by saying that he would turn him into a tasty morsel for the field mice, David responded to Goliath by saying that "the Lord will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head."  David was giving credit to God even before God had done anything.  David's motives were not driven by selfish means, and was not looking to be a hero.  David was a young boy who recognized the importance of serving the Lord and placing his trust in Him.

In the morning Sunday School class at church, we have been learning about growing our faith.  Yesterday's lesson in particular was talking about a pivotal circumstance being used to grow our faith in God.  If this story of David and Goliath wasn't pivotal enough for David and everyone else around to grow their faith in God, I don't know what could!  I know in my life there are areas that I need to be more diligent in giving them over to God.  God is the one who is all powerful and all knowing.  Why wouldn't we put our trust in Him?  We will be finding ourselves fighting a losing battle when we attempt to do things on our own.  

I pray that I would be more like David who demonstrated what happens when we place our trust and give glory to God, and to be less like the other Israelites who knew what needed to be done, but couldn't do it.  Lord, I also pray that my faith would become stronger by seeing You in the situations that I am going through, and also by seeing Your work being done by the "David's" of today.  We know that we can do some things on our own, but we can only do great things with your help and by the power of the Spirit.  I also ask that my motives would be in check and that I would always give You the glory.  I would like to thank you for David and the role model that he would have been in his day, and also thank you that he can still challenge us today to be a warrior for you!  I pray this in Your name, amen.       
    

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: 1 Samuel 19-21; 2 Peter 3

3 comments:

Nathan said...

Their are many things to learn from the David and Goliath storey. The thing that stood out for me was how David gave all the glory to God. These verses in 17:46 and 47 were the ones that caught my attention,

46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”

As we learned earlier this week about giving God the glory, here is another example of someone giving God the glory, I want to learn to do the same.

Tammy said...

I love how David gave glory to God over and over in this passage, and his absolute confidence and trust in God that He would be faithful.
37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Contrasted with Saul who got upset because the people were shouting David's praises, more than his own.

Do we boast about ourselves or give the glory to God?

In 2 Peter we see the danger of false teachers. The only way to be insusceptible to false teaching is to be absolutely solid in the Word. False teaching is not obvious - otherwise no one would fall for it! It is falsehood mixed with enough truth to cause confusion and doubt to anyone without solid biblical knowledge. We must know God's Word!

Pamela said...

29 "Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually."

Instead of growing in his faith in God who was continually showing how He is in control, Saul chose fear and jealousy. Saul should have been happy to see David's success.