New Morning Mercies #31

If you’re God’s child, it’s no more you against the world than it was David, by himself, against the great warrior Goliath.

I love the story of the Israelite army in the Valley of Elah as they faced the Philistine army (1 Samuel 17). On the first day of the face-off, out came that giant warrior, Goliath, and called for Israel to send out its best man to do battle with him. Remember, these Israelite soldiers were the army of the Most High God, the Lord almighty, who had promised that he would deliver these enemies into their hands. Yet what did the soldiers do in the face of Goliath’s challenge? They were immediately filled with fear and withdrew to their tents to commiserate. You can imagine them saying, “What are we going to do; what are we going to do?” This was their response for forty days.

Why didn’t these soldiers stand up to Goliath’s challenge? Why didn’t they fight in the name of the Lord? The answer is clear and unavoidable—they were an army of identity amnesiacs. Because they had forgotten who they were, they were filled with fear and drew a fallacious spiritual conclusion. They compared their puny selves to this massive warrior and concluded there was no path to victory.

David showed up to deliver a lunch to his brothers. He wondered why this Philistine was permitted to taunt God’s army. He shockingly said that he would go; he would answer this man’s challenge. Was he arrogant? Was David delusional? No, he knew who he was. He understood what it means to be a child of the living God. David drew the right spiritual conclusion. It was not little him against this huge warrior. No, it was this puny Philistine warrior against almighty God. Now, who do you think was going to win? David walked into that valley because he had his identity clear and won a victory because he knew what he had been given.

What identity will you assign to yourself today? Will you deal with life based on what you assess you bring to the table or based on who you now are as a child of the King of kings and Lord of lords—the Savior who is always with you in power and grace? Will you live in timidity and fear or in the courage of hope? Will you avoid challenges of faith in fear or move toward them, resting not in your own ability but in the presence, power, and grace of the One who rules all and has become your Father? May God give you grace to remember your identity as his child in those moments when remembering is essential.

For further study and encouragement: Ephesians 1:3–14