My sister used to joke that God purposefully created babies to be so adorable so we would love and care for them, even when their diapers are full and when they cry all night. Although I’m sure she was joking, I believe there’s probably some truth to that.
So we know that things don’t “just happen”… God is sovereign and He has a plan. So what does that mean for us?
Let’s look back at David’s life… the youngest son, he was left to tend sheep while his brothers were in battle. When David spent so much time in the fields watching after those frustrating animals, he probably never would have guessed that one day, God would make him king.
One day, at the command of his father, he ran to the battlefield to check on his older brothers. What this young man found was an army of grown men shaking in their war boots. Knowing that God always had and always would be with him, young David quickly offered to face this burley, fierce foe.
Where did this courage come from? David explained to the soldiers that he was ready for battle because while protecting the sheep, he had faced both a lion and a bear. Looking back, I’m sure David didn’t understand at the time why he had to suffer the afflictions of battling these wild beasts, especially for the sake of sheep. But God had a plan.
When the experienced, strong leaders tried to arm David, he simply stated that he didn’t want the armor. Can you believe it? There was that little, ambitious shepherd boy ready to face the monster that had left an army of trained soldiers paralyzed with terror… and he refused to wear armor.
You see, David recognized that the armor had not been tested. Instead of putting his trust in the protection formed by the hands of men, he made the decision to trust God instead, Who had been tested through time and had proven to be faithful and true. Of course, David could have worn the armor anyway, “just in case” (sound familiar?), but true faith requires sincere trust and total surrender. He viewed this situation with his heavenly lenses and recognized that all he really needed was God and since he knew that God was with him, the armor would only get in the way. (How often do we refuse to take the false protection of fear and doubt in the form of back-up plans instead of trusting God with all that we have? …preaching to the choir here!)
Not even when Goliath growled threats did David falter in the slightest. In fact, he practically laughed in Goliath’s face before knocking him dead with a simple sling of his stone.
Moral of the story: God has a plan for our lives and He prepares us for what is to come. We may face the fire and hate every second of the heat, but we love the beauty of the refined product. If David’s mind was consumed with everything that could go wrong while facing Goliath, he would have been no different than any of the other men on the battlefield that day. But David knew God. He didn’t have to know how powerful Goliath was or even what the end result would be; knowing God’s might and character was enough. David trusted in God, who never had a back-up plan. Besides, a few stones and a sling are a much lighter load than bulky armor.
“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” –Jeremiah 29:11
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