Thursday, February 21, 2013

God's bigger than any 'Goliath'!


God's bigger than any 'Goliath'!

Last night at a Bible study we were scheduled to study David and Goliath.  While reading the study guide I thought to myself,  I know this story well.  Isn't is interesting how God can use the things we know well and help us realize it's just want we needed to hear?

During our study we were challenged to look at our life and see what our 'Goliath' is.  It suddenly hit me and was very plain to me.  My 'Goliath' is the monthly support.  <$5000/month still to raise...Looming over me ... taunting me ... telling me 'Ha, you THINK you're going on the mission field?' ... 'does God REALLY want you there?' ... 'just try to raise the money' ... 'who's going to send you to Italy when there are starving children in Africa?'  

Just like Goliath did twice a day for 40 days.  Each day he'd come a bit closer to the camp.  The soldiers were shaking in their boots (ok, maybe sandals).  King Saul, their leader, the tallest and best person to go up against Goliath was a big chicken.  Every day the heckler got worse.  Back to me, Satan has been very good at heckling me. He has heckled me enough to scare me out of picking up the phone, getting in the car, emailing a friend.  Telling me 'no one will want your house'.   And on and on and on.

Then young David is sent by his dad to check on his brothers.  His brothers are not impressed to see him.  In fact his oldest brother started heckling David.  'Hey, where'd you put those handful sheep you are to be watching over?'  'Did you come so you could see a battle and try to say you were a part of it?'  Back to me, some of my 'friends' at church have said discouraging words, in the name of 'love'.  'How will you ever raise that kind of money?' 'Shouldn't Team Expansion support you?'

David hears Goliath's taunts.  He is outraged that no one has the guts to stand up against Goliath.  He doesn't understand why anyone lets this Philistine trash talk God!  Talking with Saul he says, 'I'll go fight him.'  Saul doesn't believe him because he sees the external: a 9'9" tall, experienced giant up against a young shepherd boy.  David then describes how God has proved Himself faithful when David killed the bear and the lion. 'He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.'  My God is bigger, my God is stronger than any old Philistine giant.  David didn't say, 'hey look at what I did.'  He said 'The Lord delivered me.'

AH!  Duh!  I forgot who is in control.  I saw the huge $ sign and started shaking in my boots.  I listened to (and started to believe) Satan's taunts. Whoa!  What is a $5,000/month to God?  He who can have money pulled out of a  fish's mouth!  

Then Saul wanted David to use his armor.  Hey David, you need to be protected, so wear my things.  Hey wait, Saul was a big man so how did he think his armor would help David?  It weighed him down.  He couldn't move.  He'd never practiced fighting off even a bunny with this armor.  With Saul's armor David would have failed.
My simile, I can't raise support by using what works for someone else.  I can't move.  I can't pick up the phone.  I arrive after people are gone.  I have to be me.  God will use me when I let Him use me.  I don't have to be nor should I try to be someone else.

So, with the things he is comfortable with, simple garments, a pouch and a sling, David sets off toward Goliath.  David, the weakling, the underdog.  But he has the Lord on his side.  God honors our faithfulness.  He wants us to fully trust in Him, and He will win the battle.

Goliath watched as David approach him and thought it was a joke.  Then David says beautiful words, '...I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted.  This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you.  And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beast of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."

David's eyes were on God.  The battle was the Lord's.  It is not for his glory, but for God's glory.   David wasn't trying to impress anyone.  He just wanted to remove the problem.  All it took was 1 stone.  All the armor Goliath had on did not protect him.  That's the way God works.  Once again I will refer back to my 'Goliath'.  That huge $ sign.  I have taken my eyes off that $ and put my eyes back on God.  The money will be raised for His glory.

Today I woke with a new motivation.  I took my eyes off the $ sign and put them back on God.  I made a 3 page list of people to contact and started making connections.  I visited with some old friends.  One  couple asked me how they sign up to commit to monthly support!  Oh yeah, let me never take my eyes off God!