“David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”” 1 Samuel 17.32-37
Can you even imagine the young David having a conversation with King Saul? How ridiculous that must have sounded and looked. This boy shows up and says, “I will kick his tail! I will do him in! He’s no different than the lion or bear that tried to take the sheep. I went after those animals,” David said. “I seized it by its hair, struck it, and killed it. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
And Saul, being out of answers and with no other fighting man stepping forward, said, “Go, and the Lord be with you,” likely thinking, “This will be an utter disaster!”
But, as we know, David did not fail. It wasn’t because of David’s ability alone—notice how David includes God in his plans. “The Lord rescued me…” And regarding Goliath, “He defied the armies of the living God.” Even Saul offered what might be considered a priestly blessing: “Go, and the Lord be with you.” David wasn’t the answer; God was the answer. David would be the first to admit that without God, none of this would have been possible.
Although David was just a kid, he was not unknown to Saul. He had already been recruited to play music in Saul’s courts. Perhaps Saul had some fondness or admiration for David, or perhaps he saw in him a confidence that wasn’t off-putting. Whatever the case, Saul allowed David to fight the giant.
Goliath’s taunts were finally met with an answer from the young David. It took some time for the answer to come, and it was unconventional—yet it came. Perhaps there are answers to questions in our own lives that we are waiting for God to provide. Tasks that seem far beyond our ability. But through prayer and the hand of God, He will fulfill them in His time and through us, if we remain faithful.
I realize that all the work I have done and all the success I have had is because God is good, faithful, and empowers those who trust in Him. I have been far from perfect and have faced many temptations to fall away. However, by remaining steadfast in the Lord, we can receive His answers as He fulfills His promises.
What answers are you hoping for today? What fulfillment are you seeking in your life and spiritual journey? How might you rest in His care as you trust Him to do what only He can do?
“O Lord God, you are good. I praise you. Thank you for loving me and for allowing me to be used by you. Just as you used David to accomplish your purposes, would you use me—use us—so that we might be all you have called us to be. This life is a short and freely given gift of grace. Help us to walk accordingly, in faith and fulfillment of your Word. For you are good, and your love endures forever. Amen.”