I Samuel 17: 11,37 “When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken….The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”
This really gets at the human delima; our problem with fear and lack of faith in the face of the “giant” of the world; the forces of evil that seek to keep us from acting in faith by gripping us in fear. The Philistines stand opposite Israel the same way that Herod stands opposite the baby Jesus. The powers and forces of the world are always working against the power of God. It really looks ridiculous. There is this giant facing a young boy with 3 rocks and a sling. There is absolutely no way this boy is going to prevail. He’s going to get crushed. The same thing with the baby Jesus; a baby against King Herod, he’s going to get crushed. But yet when we look at the story this way we are looking at the story through eyes of the world and we are then gripped with fear which is exactly what the powers of evil desire. Because if the giant/herod can inject fear into God’s people they will not act in faith and evil will have the upper hand. Evil knows that it is no match for the power and justice of the living God and if anyone steps out in faith on the power and justice of the living God, even a young shepherd boy, God will make His power and justice known through that vessel regardless of what it looks like to the world.
If we could just learn this truth today; if we would just trust that the power and forces of evil are absolutely no match for the justice and power of the living God. When I let the giants of my life stand opposite me and inject an idea of fear into my life it cripples me and prevents God from making His power known through me. God is not looking for strength and courage from the world; God is not looking for a church that already has it all figured out. God is simply looking for a willing vessel to step out in the grace of faith and refuse to let the world impose an attitude of fear; God desires for a willing vessel for Him to make His power and justice known to the world. As I sit here this morning feeling overwhelmed with stuff leading up to worship and not making as many new contacts I feel an attitude of fear trying to come over me. But yet, I am reminded today this is not my battle; this is the Lord’s and I am only called to step out on the battlefield and be a vessel for God to make His power known through me. Today I choose Jesus Christ; Today I choose to be a vessel; Today I choose the power and justice of the living God.
Lord God, I come to you this morning humbly repenting of all the ways I try to rely on my own strength and just simply stay on the sidelines gripped with fear and allow the giant of fear to stand and mock me. Lord, give me the grace today to step out in faith, trusting in the power and justice of you. I desire to be your vessel, not in my own power but through your grace that you may make your power and justice known through me. Help us to be the kind of church that isn’t consumed with being great in the world but give us the grace not to be gripped with fear but become a vessel for you to make your power and justice known in the world. Help us to be the kind of place that continually steps out in faith and putting ourselves in situations where you have to show up. This has to be your work of grace in us because by ourselves we will always choose the sidelines; Lord give us this grace today. Amen!
God desires to make His power and justice known through me!
