Verses graciously provided by my FreepeR FRiend ff--150.
I send out a Devotion every day. I farm them from different locations. This was the one for today and rather appropriate for our times
Monday - October 18, 2004
--- 1 Samuel 17:45-53
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and
spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD
Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46
This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down
and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the
Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth,
and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All
those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that
the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of
you into our hands.”
48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly
toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and
taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the
forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on
the ground.
50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone;
without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed
him.
51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s
sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off
his head with the sword.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and
ran. 52 Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout
and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates
of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and
Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines,
they plundered their camp.
Facing Down the Enemy
by
Carol Moerman
* * *
The battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands.
(v. 47 niv)
* * *
In the second movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers,
the armies of the wicked Sauron are arrayed against the men of Middle
Earth. Recognizing that they are hopelessly outnumbered, the king of
Rohan asks his fellow warrior Aragorn, "What shall men do when evil
threatens to overwhelm the world?" Aragorn replies, "You ride out to
meet it." With faith rising in their hearts, and courage born of
faith, they together lead their men into battle, and the tide
miraculously turns in their favor, soundly defeating their enemies. A
fairy tale ending or spiritual reality?
As young David faced the giant Goliath, no one expected him to win.
The odds were overwhelmingly against him. His confidence was not in
his own expertise or strength, but in God's ability to defend his
Name and deliver his people.
What causes you to be "dismayed and afraid"? Sometimes we look at the
"giants" in our lives so long we know them intimately, yet never
really face and conquer them. Take courage in David's affirmation:
"The battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our
hands." Nothing is impossible for God!
Lord, enable me to face the threatening giants in my life with the
courage born of faith in you.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Rom 8:35-39)