There are times when the situations we are in or the problems we are facing appear to be too much for us to handle. These are the times when discouragement descends on us like a gloomy fog, and we hear ourselves saying: "What's the use?" These are the times when it will be helpful for us to remember the story about Goliath, Saul and David.

The Philistines had invaded Israel. As the story begins the two armies faced each other. The Philistines camped in the mountains on one side of a valley and the army of Israel in mountains on the other side. A symbol that the army of the Philistines was bigger and stronger was a giant of a man, a Philistine called Goliath. Day after day, he would shout across the valley, taunting King Saul and the soldiers of Israel. He dared anyone to come fight. "If I win" he said, "Israel will be our slaves, and if your representative kills me, then our people will be your slaves." This representative of the Philistines was both huge and well armed. To the soldiers of Israel it appeared that to fight Goliath was to commit suicide. None of them stood a chance against this giant of a man, this experienced soldier who had killed only God knows how many in battle.

Saul, the king of Israel and leader of the army, along with all his soldiers, was dismayed and afraid. They were all so discouraged, no one would even try to fight Goliath on behalf of Israel. "What's the use?"

Then along came David. I assume all of us know what happened. But before we rush to celebrating David's victory, I think it would be wise for us to remember some of the details that precede that victory.

David was only a teenager, too young to be in the army. He had been left at home to take care of the sheep while his brothers went off to fight. His father was concerned for David's three brothers who were in Saul's army, so he sent David to take some food to his brothers and some special gifts for their commander.

I can imagine how excited David was. At last he was going where the action was. Now he could see the army of Israel and maybe even see them destroy the Philistines. I suppose like many boys who have not experienced the blood and gore of war, he had dreams about the glory and excitement of battle against the enemy of Israel.

When he arrived at the camp, he discovered the army of Israel had gone out to face the Philistines. Perhaps this was it. Perhaps this was the day the army of his brothers would destroy the enemy of Israel. Hurriedly he left what he had brought for his brothers with someone who was taking care of the baggage that had been left in camp while the soldiers were gone, and he ran to where the armies faced one another. David found his bothers and while he was talking to them, Goliath came forward and once again hurled his insulting challenge to the soldiers of Israel. David heard, and David saw how the soldiers of Israel, including his brothers, shrank back in fear and discouragement. David heard what the soldiers of Israel said to one another: "Just look at that guy. He's a giant. The king would give a huge reward to anyone who could kill him." But none of them stepped forward. Even the possibility of marrying Saul's daughter and becoming part of the royal household-even the offer of a lot of money and the offer of permanently exempting the family of whoever killed Goliath from ever having to pay taxes, was not enough to motivate any of them to step forward.

David was amazed. He was amazed at the reward being offered, and he was amazed that no one would step forward to defend the honor of Israel. And so, David spoke, asking questions that were something other than questions. They were almost like a challenge. "Now what is the reward? Who does Goliath think he is, insulting the army of God?" In other words, "What more do you need to motivate you to go out and take care of that Philistine?"

To the brothers of David, it was evident David did not understand. He was just being an idealistic pain in the neck. And so, rather than respond to what he said, they called him into question. "What are you doing here? Who's taking care of things back home? You smart aleck. You have just come here for some excitement."

And David responded like a younger brother. "Hey, what have I done? Can't I even ask a question?" And so David asked his questions of others who were there.

King Saul was told about this young man who was asking questions that could be seen as a way of trying to goad the soldiers into action. Saul asked to see him, and when David came, David told the king: "No one should be afraid of that Philistine. I will fight him."

I can imagine David's boldness causing Saul to smile. "How could you fight him? You are just a boy, and he is a seasoned, skilled warrior."

Then David told the king why he was not afraid of Goliath. It was not just youthful naiveté. David knew what it was to face danger. In tending and defending the sheep of his father, David had killed lions and bears. Of course, his way of communicating this information does sound a bit exaggerated: "Any time a lion or bear carries off a lamb, I go after it, attack it and rescue the lamb. And if the lion or bear turns on me, I grab it by the throat and beat it to death. I have killed lions and bears, and I will do the same to this heathen Philistine who has defied the army of the living God." And then David went on to say what is probably the heart of the story: "The Lord has saved me from lions and bears; he will save me from this Philistine."^[1]

There was certainly exuberance and probably some exaggeration in what David said; but at the heart of what he said is the key to his great confidence; it was his faith in God. David did not declare that his victory over lions and bears was because he was great, but rather because God was with him.

Maybe it was David's confidence that God was with him that motivated Saul to send David to answer Goliath's challenge. Saul tried to help David by giving him the same type of armor and weapons that Goliath possessed. And David tried it on. But David knew he could not "out-Goliath" Goliath.

And so, David faced Goliath the way he had faced the lions and bears-as a shepherd with a slingshot and with more than a slingshot. David went to face what he had to face with strong confidence that God was with him.

Now we can come to the climax of the story that all of us know. The shepherd boy, with no armor and only his slingshot killed the giant enemy of Israel. And his victory motivated the army of Israel to rise up and defeat the army of the Philistines.

This ancient story is more than a story for entertaining children. It is a story worth studying-especially in times of discouragement. When we are faced with overwhelming odds, when some sort of Goliath seems to be threatening to do us in, when our resources and abilities appear to be as inadequate as the army of Israel thought theirs to be, then it is time to remember and carefully, prayerfully read again this old story about a terrible threat, discouraged soldiers of God, and a teenager whose confidence was rooted in his past experience of God enabling him to deal with other dangers and threats.

This faith, this confidence, rooted in experience, is what enabled the young David to be an effective instrument of God. It is what the third verse of Amazing Grace proclaims: Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 'tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

Or, to say this in David's words: "The LORD, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine." ^[2]

God, when we must face Goliath type situations in life and we feel discouragement taking over our lives, help us remember this story about young David. Enable us to live in the awareness that it is grace that has brought us safe thus far, and therefore we can face the future in the confidence that it is grace that will lead us home. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer:
God, we confess that all too often we try to live apart from you, and when we do, we make a mess of things. Forgive us when because of selfishness, insensitivity or pride, we go our own way. Apart from you our greatest accomplishments are little more than road dust that swirls around for a little while as we march toward our graves.
Help us understand that our lives matter only to the extent that we live in harmony with you and serve your purposes. Help us realize that it is only as we allow ourselves to be embraced by your love and allow your love to shape our living that our lives serve your eternal purpose.
God, help us receive and embrace the gift of Your tough and tender love so that what we say and do each day will be used by you in confronting whatever is destructive and enhancing all that is good. God, enable us to live each day so that whatever we are doing serves you.
In the name of the One whose living made your redeeming grace known to us, we pray: "Our Father …"

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