Trusts In God, No Matter What The Odds Are

Trusts In God, No Matter What The Odds Are

A HERO’S TALE

David’s eyes kept going up . . . up . . . up. Was there no end to the massive man standing before him?

Goliath was a big, scary dude.

Israel was at war with Philistia, and each morning, Goliath, the Philistines’ colossal champion, had dared Israel’s camp to send one soldier to face him in a winner-takes-all battle. But the Israelites wanted nothing to do with the nasty giant.

Standing at nine feet nine inches, Goliath was taller than most grizzly bears are on their hind legs! He was a powerful warrior and a trained killer whose frightening armor and weaponry made him look like an ancient Iron Man. One glance at Goliath, and the hearts of Israel’s soldiers turned into Jell-O.

Then along came David. He had arrived at the battle scene to check on his three oldest brothers, who were soldiers. But when David heard Goliath’s taunts against Israel —and God —he volunteered to fight Goliath.

The Israelite soldiers momentarily stopped biting their nails in fear to enjoy a good laugh. How could this puny little shepherd boy hope to beat mighty Goliath? David probably stood no higher than Goliath’s belly button. From all appearances, the odds were stacked against David.

But that didn’t stop him. Armed with nothing but a slingshot, a few small stones, and a big trust in God, David ran toward Goliath, twirled his slingshot, and let a stone fly.

The rock smacked Goliath right between the eyes, sending the powerful giant crashing to the ground. Amazingly, David had won the battle and saved Israel! (See 1 Samuel 17 for the full story.)

DECODING THE MESSAGE

Despite his youth and size, David courageously believed the odds of victory were 100 percent in his favor. Why? Because David knew he had an invincible ally: God.

David understood that God is the eternal Creator and Sustainer of the universe, who can do anything that pleases him. While Goliath looked gigantic to the Israelites, he was no match for the Lord God Almighty.

We are called to display David-like trust in the Lord too. God is bigger than any enemy or problem you’ll face. Whatever your challenge is, don’t fear, worry, or try to fix it by yourself. Just trust in God through prayer and faith, and watch him work mightily to give you victory!

BATTLE PLAN

Read Psalm 144, which David wrote as a reminder of God’s power and majesty in difficult times.