David & Goliath: Beyond the Felt Board

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

I love scripture. My life was suddenly and dramatically changed by the reading of God’s inspired and authoritative word. But I had always found myself drawn to what I viewed as the weightier passages from the New Testament that are full of doctrine. I was never particularly drawn back into the old familiar stories I had heard often as a kid and now read to my own children out of an illustrated Children's Bible.

In August, 2016 one of these oft heard but largely forgotten passages would shape my path more than much of the doctrine that I so closely held. This was on the eve of my telling my employer that I would be moving with family (plus two other families) back to Huntington, WV after having been living in Lexington and working together for the past 12+ years. There was no job transfer, no relocation package, no promise of employment on the other side of this discussion. Fear gripped me as I sat alone the night before this conversation was to occur. With my family asleep, I sat with Bible in hand and did the thing that I so often criticized others for doing - I flipped the pages of my Bible waiting for God to providentially provide a word like manna from Heaven. I landed in 1 Samuel.

As I dug into the story of David’s anointing and his playing of the lyre (a small harp-like instrument) for King Saul, I was confused and curious as to what might have been gleaned from this passage. Then in 1 Samuel 17, the Sunday School felt board account of David and Goliath, awaited.

The stage was set by the army of the Philistines encamped at Socoh, which is in Judah - very truly this is God’s country, yet there the enemy sets encamped and prepared to make war on God’s people. The battle would occur in the valley between the opposing mountaintops where the armies of the Philistines and the army of Israel stood. It was in this valley that the giant, Goliath, entered shouting threats at the people of God. These threats, loud and intimidating, caused the people of God to become “dismayed and greatly afraid.” Sitting on my couch I had also become “dismayed and greatly afraid” of the pending move to Huntington, but I was heartened to remember that the devil himself is also like a roaring lion, but we serve the victorious lion from the tribe of Judah, JESUS.

It didn’t take long for the connection to be made that the current drug epidemic in Huntington (and much of the region) leading to so much death and decay was no different than Goliath in the valley shouting murderous threats against God’s people - striking fear in our hearts and causing us to stay on the mountaintop. But as the Rev. Billy Graham says, “the fruit grows in the valleys.” Huntington, WV, much like Socoh, is God’s country. All of creation is God’s country. If you disagree with me here, then take it up with the now deceased Abraham Kuyper who said: “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”

For 40 days the threats of Goliath paralyzed the people of God with inactivity, fear and trembling. The 40 day period was not lost on me as our team (three families) had just finished praying for 40 days seeking the will of God in this matter of moving to Huntington. Now it was clear that God was calling us and it seems that the first steps of obedience can often be the most difficult ones to take.

I love that David was a shepherd boy, apparently less impressive in physical stature than his seven brothers, three of which stood paralyzed with fear looking on the giant in the valley. David comes to deliver provisions to his brothers, but is incredulous at this affront to the LORD and His army. He knows immediately that he must act, he knows the Lord will be with him and so he runs into the valley armed with only a very little to face the foe that has caused much fear.

Now I in no way want to compare our three families to David in this story. Nor do I want to claim that all of the Lord's army stood paralyzed with fear as the enemy ransacks the valley (i.e., Huntington). Actually one of the greatest joys in this process has been the discovery of the fearless warriors that have boldly sought to reclaim the ground that enemy has taken. We long to labor with them in this effort.

In some ways, David is the epitome of what the City Church wants to be about: small is big, slow is fast. It's an upside down Kingdom and it's clear by His calling of us that He intends to continue using the foolish things to shame the wise and the weak things to shame the strong. May we like David rush headfirst into the harvest fields, trusting that God will pay for what He orders and that His ability is enough to overshadow all of our inabilities.

I love what happens after the well-told scene where Goliath is slain with a pebble. The armies of God rise up and join in pursuit of the armies of the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:52). The armies overtook the enemy and plundered their camp! It's the perfect biblical illustration of the famous Billy Graham quote: “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”

Our hearts desire and our earnest prayer is that God would multiply an army of fearless and faith filled disciple-making disciples that would storm the valley and kick in the gates of hell (Matthew 16:18), plundering the enemy's camp. May we today join with David in complete confidence and say to the enemy, “you come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts...this day the LORD will deliver you into my hand.”