Giants

¹⁹ Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
²⁰ So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. ²¹ For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. ²² And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. ²³ Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. ²⁴ And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. - 1 Samuel 17:19-24

As I started getting into the life of David, something different stood out to me from his trip to the battlefield. Verse 19 is seemingly always overlooked. ¹⁹ Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. I've always focused on the fact that the Israelite army was scared of Goliath and unwilling to fight. While that fact is true, the Israelites were fighting. Why does this matter? I think it is a very valuable thing to notice for those of who care about the Church and our Christian family. David was the hero. David was the leader. David came and brought his passion and fire and charged out against Goliath. David was that extra push that the army needed. Those around us are often fighting and fighting and doing what is right, but they have some giant lurking behind them that they can't seem to overcome. I know I am often so busy pointing out someone's fear of or lack of action against "a giant", that I do nothing to help them. As a Christian, I am part of something bigger. As the Sunday school song says, "I'm in the Lord's army." Rather than discuss our neighbor's "giants" why don't we charge into battle and help them overcome those giants. Instead of caring about what someone is not fighting, why don't we focus on the fact that they're fighting at all. As long as we're still in the battle there is hope.  Even when his helped was scorned and unwanted, David still did what was right and what he knew was best for the battle at hand. It is my prayed that I may be more like David; challenging the giants my brothers struggle against rather than criticizing from the edge of the battle.

Excuses

²⁰ And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.  ²¹ But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.”
²² So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. 

- 1 Samuel 15:20-22

     How often am I like Saul? I'm often making excuses to explain and justify how I have been doing what God wants me to do, instead of just doing what He says. I can't help but think that my excuses sound just as stupid as Saul's. Saul says, "I have brought back Agag...I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites." He doesn't even make sense with his statements anymore. Saul also gives us another valuable insight. He tells Samuel that he was making a sacrifice "to the LORD your God". "Your God"? Saul's lack of obedience has rendered God impersonal to him. Perhaps without even knowing it, Saul has grown miles away from God. Disobedience will do this in my life just as easily. God will seem like a powerful being I hear about in church and not the personal Savior He longs to be.

     Samuel's reprimand from the Lord is well known to a lot of Christians, but do we heed those words? God wants obedience. Sacrifice to Saul is worship to us. So God is telling us that simply obeying Him is more important than our Sunday worship. How often do I obey God? Sure, I go to church and worship and fellowship and stay involved, but none of that matters if I'm not obeying God in the day to day commands like Bible reading, praying, loving my neighbor and witnessing. Sadly, I believe that the sweet smell of my weekend worship often becomes a stench to God by my lack of obedience. May God give me the strength to simply obey.

The Good Shepherd

"I am the Good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own." - John 10:14

     An interesting concept came to me today while studying this passage. Jesus truly is the only Good Shepherd, because He is the only One who is a complete shepherd. An earthly shepherd cares for his sheep but he can never communicate with them, nor can he really protect them from great danger. Jesus loves us and cares for us. He leads us to the green pastures and fills our lives with blessings. However, He is not merely the Good Shepherd but also the Lion of Judah, capable of warding off any threat, including the other lion who seeks to consume us.1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. And in those moments when He isn't busy guiding us and protecting us, He is able to commune and fellowship with His sheep since He is the Lamb of God. John 1:29 - The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! A Shepherd, a Lion, a Sheep; there can be no greater combination than this. The Good Shepherd is truly greater than any of us can fathom!