ON THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS...

          GIVING THE GIFT OF COURAGE

The army of Israel, under the leadership of King Saul, was engaged in a deadly war with the army of the Philistines. One army poised on one hill, the other on an opposite hill, with a valley in between. Now, the Philistines had among their number a great giant of a man named Goliath of Gath. His height was six cubits and a span and if the figures are correct, that would put him about nine feet tall. 

Clad in his armor, Goliath came down to the valley and called out to the army of Israel:

“Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.  If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us."

When Saul and the army of Israel looked at this giant and heard his chilling challenge, they were frightened because they had no one with such stature.

On this day, Jesse, David’s father, asked his young son to take some food to his three brothers in the army.  When he arrived at the battleground, Goliath came out again, issuing the same challenge, which David heard.  There was fear throughout the army of Israel. David, who was no more than a boy, said to the king (and I paraphrase his language): “King, why are you so afraid of this giant? I will go and fight him.”

Saul replied, “Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” 

David then persuaded Saul to let him try. He told the king of how he had fought with a lion and a bear to save his father’s sheep and concluded by saying that the Lord would deliver him out of the hand of the Philistine.  Saul, possibly thinking that one more life lost would not be serious among the great losses they had already sustained, said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with thee.” 

Saul then placed armor on David until the boy could scarcely walk. David said to the king, “I cannot wear this,” and he took the armor off.

He then “took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had; and his sling was in his hand.”

This stripling of a boy, with only a sling and five stones, and without any armor other than the armor of faith, went down into the valley to face Goliath.

“And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

“And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?”

And Goliath swore at David, saying, “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.”

Then David spoke these great words: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

“This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” 

That was brave talk for a boy who stood against a nine-foot giant.

In anger Goliath came at him. Then David, running toward the giant, “put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.” 

There are Goliaths all around us, hulking giants with devastating consequences.  These are not nine-foot-tall men, but they are people and institutions that control attractive things that challenge and weaken our lives.  If you don't have the courage to stand a little taller, no matter the test... what have you?  The strength in David came from spiritual courage and he is a true live hero who conquered the demon.

Have courage as David when he said to Goliath, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts...''   Have the courage to do noble things with your life, whatever your path may be and where ever the journey may lead you. 

This Christmas may we have the spiritual courage to make a difference in this world.

Linda Sumner Urza: onefineday11.blogspot.com