David and Goliath – 2020.07.14
David said:
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
Goliath was a mighty giant and a skilled warrior from his youth. David was just a boy, not yet an adult. And yet David dared to fight. He remembered the lion who tried to steal a lamb from him and how he had defeated the lion with God’s help. A bear fared no better: David defeated him.
David was brave and clever, he was agile and accurate. All good human qualities that were useful to him. But the main point was his faith in God. That was his strength: God was on his side! And so he could attempt many things.
Goliath lost his life in this fight and David became famous. The small boy who shut the mouth of the big one, who was sure of victory.
Do you know the anecdote about Willy the ant? – Every morning an elephant lumbered by close to an anthill and it disturbed them enormously. So they made a plan to chase the elephant away. They lay in wait, armed with all kinds of slashing and stabbing weapons. When the elephant came, they rushed at him from all sides and climbed up on him. When the elephant noticed this, he shook himself and the ants all fell down, except Willy. Willy clung to the elephant’s neck. Then everyone shouted: Strangle him, Willy, strangle him!
Some Christians who trust in their plans and the right, learned words seem to me to be similar. They do everything right in the fight against the evil one. And yet they do not succeed. The fight against evil is even greater than the comparison of an ant and an elephant. No chance for us!
And that’s where God’s grace comes in. Only because of His grace can take up the fight confident of victory. Not the trust in our plans, in our rights as Christians and children of God, not our heritage, not the learned words heard at a conference will bring victory. It is only grace.
God is gracious to us when we are very, very closely united with Him, when Jesus has completely cleansed us, when the Holy Spirit is allowed to take over our whole heart. Then God can give us authority over the enemy, then we are not an ant for Him, but a very serious opponent – because he sees Jesus in us.
It is clear: the greater Jesus is in us, the greater He appears to the enemy, and also to other people …
Thank You Jesus, that You live in me! You shall become great, and my egoism shall become small. I want to live for You, because You love me without limit. Come and reign over me. – …and please, get all the rubbish out of my heart.