8.31.2016

Release Your Inner David!

Last night while I was sleeping, I began to dream. I felt this presence come over me. It held me down, shut my lips, and would not allow me to move. As I was laying there, motionless, the only thing that I could whisper was, "Jesus". I began to whisper it over and over. I was slowly able to say it louder and louder, until my lips were loosened, and I was able to say, "In the name of Jesus!" I suddenly awoke! My heart was pounding out of my chest! I snuggled close to my husband, as if he could protect me from this nightmare. I laid in silence, heart pounding, for what felt like an eternity. Everytime I felt that my heart was about to slow down, it began to pound once again. My heart finally settled down, and I felt a peace come over me. God said to me, "Release your inner David." Release my inner David? What does that even mean. I slowly got up the courage to grab my Bible, leave my little, safe cocoon, and go onto the couch to figure out what God was trying to tell me.

Most people have heard of the story of David and Goliath. Even if you don't crack the Bible often, you have heard of that story as a child. It takes place in 1 Samuel 17. In this story you have war. The fight is between the Israelites and Philistines. In the story it talks about a Giant named, Goliath. The Bible states that Goliath was 9 ft 4" tall! Wow! It says his helmet was made of bronze, and his armor weighed 125 lbs! The army of the Philistines stood behind their giant. He went each day to the front of the line and screamed, "Send one of your 'men' to fight me!"

Now, in this story, we know of a young shepherd boy. He was, just a boy. He helped his father and older brothers tend their sheep. While some of his brothers went off to fight, his father sent him to take them food and to check-up on them. David took the food, and while at the front of the battle line, he watched as this giant of a man came out and said his speech once again. "Send one of your 'men' to fight me!" David, although just a boy, wanted to know what was going to be done about this giant that mocked God and their army. It says that David said to Saul, "Don't let anyone be discouraged, I, your servant will go and fight this Philistine! 1 Samuel 17:32. Can you imagine what Saul is thinking right now? He has an army of all these strong men that run and hide at the sight of this giant, and this boy comes to him, ready to step up to the plate and take him head on! It says that Saul replied, "You can't go against this Philistine and fight him, you're only a boy! (Vs 33). After David convinced Saul that he was right for this job, Saul tried to give him armor. This armor was way too heavy, for he was only a boy! He told Saul that he could mot wear it for he was not used to it. He took it off and as we all know, found those smooth stones. A weapon he was used to. He was familiar with it, because God had already trained him how to use it effectively in his life.

Now, little David was ready to face this giant. He had his large, strong army...er...scared army behind him. He has his amazing armor...um...his slingshot and rock, while Goliath had a confident army, and armor that probably weighed as much as David alone! David did not let those thoughts stop him! He knew that God was with him. In the Bible it says that Goliath began to go towards David. At that moment, David ran to meet him! Not only did David go out there with no army behind him and no armor, he ran to his enemy! It says he took that one smooth stone, and you know the rest! Yep, right between the eyes! Down goes that 9 ft 4 inch giant! One stone!

Now, what does that story have to do with me? With us? I am but a small person. I am human, weak, and at times feel ill-equipped. We have mountains that we face, dragons to conquer, and giants to kill. But....we are just a boy inside. We feel at times these giants are too much for us. We run, we hide, we look for others to fight for us. We look at the armor of the enemy and think about how strong they must be as we sit and hold this little, tiny rock in our hands. We forget at times that we have the greatest weapon...God! The Bible says, "If God is for us, who can be against us!"

Last night, I awoke from a dream where I was held down, mouth muzzled, not allowed to move! The one thing I could do? Say the name of Jesus! It started out as a whisper, and grew, and grew! I awoke! Fear overcame me! God took over and encouraged me to find my "Inner David"....my confidence...my calling!

What giants are you facing today? Do you feel overwhelmed, inadequate, ill-equipped, and like you are just a small boy that is powerless against such an obstacle? Release your inner David today. Do you think David had fear? Do you think that his heart was pounding out of his chest while he ran to his enemy? I do! I feel, though, he ran with confidence! He knew that God had prepared him for this moment...not with swords, bows, guns, grenades, but with a sling and a stone, that had been used to protect his family's sheep. What is your weapon? What has God given you to defeat those giants in your life? Use what is uniquely yours, given to you by God! Take hold of that sling, be confident, run up to that giant, and release your inner David!