But David said to Saul... “Your servant has struck down both lions and bears... The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” – His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head... For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.” So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. (1 Samuel 17:34-50 ESV)
“Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” Those words spoken by Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, revealed her fear of walking in harms way. “Lions and bears and a giant,” terms found in our lesson for today, do not reveal fear. Instead they reveal the God-inspired confidence of a young shepherd boy and the self-inspired confidence of a giant.
David’s lack of fear was well founded because he knew that the battle was the Lord's. Goliath’s lack of fear was based on his confidence in his own strength. Faithful David won. Boastful Goliath lost. Our lesson is clear. If you want to be a winner, trust in the Lord!
Thank You, heavenly Father, for driving away all fear by means of Jesus and His cross. Yes, thank You for His sacrificial love that casts out all of my fear. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
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