April 5 - Nº 95 1 Samuel 17
The Philistine army grew strong again. They gathered their forces and invaded Israel. The two armies soon faced each other across a large valley. Suddenly a Philistine warrior named Goliath stepped forward. He was over nine feet tall! He was dressed in full armor and equipped with a javelin and spear! “Why are all of you lined up for battle?” he challenged. “Just two of us can settle this! Select someone to fight me. If he is able to kill me, we will become your servants. But if I kill him, you will serve us!” Saul and all his troops were terrified. No one dared to accept the challenge, which continued every morning for 40 days. Saul even offered a reward to anyone who could defeat the giant. He said, “I’ll make him wealthy, and he can marry my daughter.” Since all his brothers had left home to join the army, David had to return from the palace to tend to his father’s sheep. One day his father sent him to check on his brothers and deliver some food. David arrived just as the Israelite troops were heading to the battlefield. He ran to catch up with his brothers. As he was speaking with them, Goliath stepped out and bellowed his morning challenge. The Israelite men began to flee. “Who does this ungodly man think he is?” David asked the men around him. “And why does he think he can get away with defying the armies of the living God? Has the king promised anything to the man who will defeat him?” David’s oldest brother was angry that David was interfering. He told him to go back home to take care of the sheep. But David wanted answers. Saul heard about the boy’s questions and sent for him. David immediately offered to fight the Philistine. “But he is a warrior, and you have no experience,” Saul replied. David told the king how he had killed both a lion and a bear while he was watching his father’s sheep. “The Lord rescued me from them,” he explained, “and He will rescue me from this giant!” Saul gave David permission to fight. He tried to dress David in his armor, but it was too big. “I can’t wear this,” David said. He took it off and headed toward the giant with only his staff, a sling, and a small shepherd’s pouch. He picked up five small stones along the way. When Goliath saw David coming, he yelled, “Do you think I am a dog that you come to me with sticks?” He cursed David and added, “I’ll give your flesh to the birds.” David yelled back, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin—but I come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel!” Goliath moved closer to attack, and David ran quickly toward him. He took a stone from his pouch, put it in the sling and swung it. When he let go, it struck the Philistine in the forehead. The giant fell face down on the ground. David grabbed Goliath’s sword and cut off his head. The Philistine army panicked and ran in fear with Saul and his army chasing behind. Because of David’s faith, God gave the Israelites a great victory.
Does fear of failure keep you from taking action—especially when it comes to doing things for God? You don’t have to be afraid. God’s power is far greater than any other power in the universe. Saul’s fear paralyzed him—while David’s faith made him victorious.
