1 Samuel 17 (David and Goliath)
Key Verses: 1 Samuel 17: 10-11 and 47-50
As a snowboarder, sometimes I look around at other “grown ups” and I feel like a good for nothin’, lazy, bum. When you realize you can do something that’s so fun and lighthearted, it naturally makes you avoid seriousness, confrontation, responsibility, at least to some extent, right? Now, I could ramble on about how we all need to make sure we balance snowboarding’s fun with real-life and responsibilities, but let’s not do that today. Let’s just be who we are and relate that to the story of David and Goliath. Let’s think about the story from the perspective of David’s comrades. They were terrified of Goliath, and dismayed because none of them could take responsibility and defeat Goliath. They had no hope.
We are free from death! We are saved! And we didn’t have to do a dang thing. Jesus did it all for us!
As a lazy snowboarder, being in their place would be my worst nightmare. There’s nothing fun or lighthearted about this and it’s wayyyy too serious for me. It’s terrifying. I definitely wouldn’t rise to the challenge and try to take Goliath on (just being honest). But guess what, because of God, there is good news. God worked through David to take responsibility for the people of Israel and accomplish the unimaginable by having the young David slay their worst nightmare and set them free from being enslaved. God designed this story to have David represent Jesus and his comrades represent us. We are free from death! We are saved! And we didn’t have to do a dang thing. Jesus did it all for us! Today, just accept the fact that as a human, you are good for nothin’ when it comes to defeating death, and revel in the good news that Jesus has taken responsibility for you.
Challenge
In what ways are you “good for nothing”? In what ways do you come in below the standard? What do you feel hopeless about?
Do you trust that God forgives you for your shortcomings? Do you trust you have hope because of what Jesus has done for you? How can you better trust that God does love you and does forgive you?
Once you know that God has saved you, what’s next? Are you still good for nothing? How should you respond? How can you try to not waste what God has done for you?
By Marc Breglio | Scarborough, ME