Hi
Yesterday I engaged in a very interesting conversation with a young man. He fasted very regularly as a thank offering to God; he prayed to God, but by his own admission – was not a Christian. Curious, I asked him about it. His response – “Sin nice enuh miss. Sin nice.” No excuses; just his understanding of the facts. Consider his stark observation in light of one interpretation of today’s Holy Nougat
Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. 1 Samuel 17:41-42 NLT
For weeks, the 9-foot bully visited Israel. He taunted them daily and, when clad in his armour, presented an imposing and insurmountable threat to the people. Soon, though fearful, they were comfortable with the visible threat. No one tried to defeat Goliath. As God’s chosen people, one presumes that they prayed regularly while observing the feasts and all the other rituals of their faith. Yet Goliath was a very real proof that they forgot/neglected to clear the land of Promise as directed.
How about us, what are the Goliaths in our lives? Have we, like the young man, been observing all the rituals of the faith while allowing the Goliaths of sin to terrorize our faith daily?
Has the situation gotten so grave that upon sight of our decision to overcome, our 9-foot Goliath would scoff at us? If so, and should our circumstances feel as imposing and insurmountable, we are conscious that our power comes not from the comfort of our sin, but from God. And, like David, we already know the outcome of this battle.
So yes, sin may be enticing or comfortable. It may even be taunting us and seeking to instil defeatism in us. But in Christ Jesus, we can and will overcome. Especially when our faith is rooted in him as David’s was.
Lord Jesus, help us overcome the Goliaths which we encounter on our faith walk. Amen
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
