March 31, 2025

1 Samuel 17:1-11  (HCSB)
David versus Goliath
17 The Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim. 2 Saul and the men of Israel gathered and camped in the Valley of Elah; then they lined up in battle formation to face the Philistines. 3 The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites were standing on another hill with a ravine between them. 4 Then a champion named Goliath, from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inches tall 5 and wore a bronze helmet and bronze scale armor that weighed 125 pounds. 6 There was bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze sword was slung between his shoulders. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed 15 pounds. In addition, a shield-bearer was walking in front of him. 8 He stood and shouted to the Israelite battle formations: “Why do you come out to line up in battle formation?” He asked them, “Am I not a Philistine and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. 9 If he wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel today. Send me a man so we can fight each other!” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.

Chris Bray
Who wouldn’t be terrified of Goliath, right? Anyone subject to their senses would find it impossible not to be afraid! How often are we threatened by something in our lives and become consumed with fear? Encountering a giant through something like a terrible health diagnosis or debilitating news about a loved one can separate us from our courage.
It’s when those big ugly monsters of life are shaking their fists at us from across a shadowy valley that we need to remember that the threats and attacks coming at us from the darkness defy our directive from God, just as Goliath defied the ranks of the Israelites. Regardless of what our physical senses are saying...we are not fighting exclusively against flesh and blood! Those giants have power over us only if we remain impaled by the fear of them! One of our God-given directives is to be courageous. Relying mainly on the senses of the flesh instead of the Spirit can be paralyzing. Today’s passage instructs us on how NOT to behave in the face of life’s giants. Tomorrow, we’ll have the opportunity to be inspired by David and witness the proper way to face those monsters.