‘The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.’ – 1 Samuel 17:37
From Sam:
Who doesn’t enjoy a story about an underdog who triumphs against their opponent? There is something about the ‘little’ person overcoming the odds that makes us want to stand up and cheer them on. They inspire us and for just a moment they make us wonder whether we too could triumph against adversity too.
In the Bible, when God’s people the Israelites were being attacked by the Philistines, the armies agreed that the battle should be decided by just one soldier from each side fighting the other. The Philistines sent forward Goliath, over nine feet tall, he was a giant of a man. Nobody within the Israelite army was brave enough to take on Goliath. But this battle wasn’t over.
In 1 Samuel 17 we read how God used a young shepherd boy named David to defeat Goliath. David was visiting his older brothers on the front line of the battle when he heard Goliath mocking the Israelites and their God. David asked the king for permission to fight Goliath. Armed with five smooth stones and a confident trust in the Lord, David defeated the Philistines’ champion. The underdog had won the battle.
In this remarkable story, there is a brilliant line from David who confidently states, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Notice how David recalls the times gone by when the Lord had been his rescuer and refuge. David remembers what the Lord has done for him in the past and he uses it to help himself confidently press on.
You may be facing a challenging time at the moment. Allow me to encourage you to recall and remember times gone by when the Lord has been there for you. Perhaps spend a moment thinking about a time in your life when the Lord helped you through (or as David would say, ‘rescued you from’) a difficult time.
Why not say a prayer now asking the Lord to grant you a ‘godly confidence’ that trusts in Him at this time of uncertainty?
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