An unconventional warrior

Monday devotions @work 2 November 2020
People of Hope: Part 25: David

Read 1 Samuel 17

When we think about David I think the first story that comes to mind is probably the story of His victory over Goliath. What I think we do not always realize is that David did not start off as a warrior, He started as a shepherd. God had to grow David into a warrior that would have the exact skills needed to overcome Goliath. For years David was protecting his sheep, fighting off jackal and lions and bears. He practiced with his sling-stone over and over and over to hit a target with precise accuracy while guarding his sheep. He developed that skill without anyone watching and without much notice from the outside world. In this season of David’s life, he was fighting his battles alone where nobody could see. Then came that one day where everything changed. The Philistine was mocking his God. Nobody was prepared to take him on because nobody had the right skills. The unconventional warrior skills necessary to overcome a giant in an unconventional way, came in an unconventional package. David’s whole known world was looking, holding their breath and two armies with highly skilled warriors and armour where at stand-off with each other. A shepherd boy who could not even wear the armour even though the king offered it to him, stepped up to the task. He was armed with a sling-stone, faith, years of guarding sheep and empowered by God for this precise moment. He gathered 5 stones – because Goliath had 4 more brothers. He was ready for them too.

 

Goliath did not see this one coming. He did not see that fateful stone come that would end his life and his mockery of God, but he also did not see a shepherd boy without armour as a threat big enough to be cautious, and definitely He did not see David’s God backing Him with authority and growing him into an unconventional warrior for a moment such as this.

There are many battles in our lives that may seemingly look mundane and we may not pay attention to it as something that has purpose or will one day have purpose. Most of these battles we must fight on our own, much like David had to fight the lion and the bear on his own, and without anyone seeing the victories. Nothing is without purpose though. It is during these times that our faith grow and our hope is established enough so that we will be ready when the moment comes that we have to face our Goliath. May we not lose hope, get discouraged or disheartened during the times we need to go to battle alone. May we endure through these times well knowing that God is most certainly growing our faith, our experience and our battle skills so that we will be ready on that day when God need it for the ultimate purpose He created us for.

Let us sing with David Ps 27:11-14 (NKJV)

Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

 

Our worship song today is:  

Your Heart - Chris Tomlin

©2020 HG Venter