Only a Boy Named David
“The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them.
1 Samuel 16:7 NLT
People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
“The slender, beardless boy kneels by the brook. Mud moistens his knees. Bubbling water cools his hand. Were he to notice, he could study his handsome features in the water. Hair the color of copper. Tanned, sanguine skin and eyes that steal the breath of Hebrew maidens. He searches not for his reflection, however, but for rocks.
Max Lucado, Cast of Characters
Stones. Smooth stones. The kind that stack neatly in a shepherd’s pouch, rest flush against a shepherd’s leather sling. Flat rocks that balance heavy on the palm and missile with comet-crashing force into the head of a lion, a bear, or, in this case, a giant.”
The boy described above is David, the greatest king in the history of Israel. But before he became the ruler of a nation, he was a simple shepherd boy. Here we meet him preparing to fight the mighty Philistine warrior Goliath with nothing but a sling, five smooth stones, and an unwavering faith in God…
Our plan for 2023 is to journey through The NeverEnding Story of the Bible and discover how we fit into it along the way. Our plan for this year is loosely based on The Story, an abridged chronological version of the Bible, and the accompanying study guide The Heart of the Story by Randy Frazee.
Here is where we are in The Story:
MOVEMENT TWO: The Story of Israel (Genesis 12-Malachi)
Chapter 11 – From Shepherd to King
This chapter in The Story includes 1 Samuel 16-18, 24, 31 and 2 Samuel 6, 22. This week we focus on the story of David and Goliath, told in 1 Samuel 17. But first, let’s get caught up. After God rejected King Saul (see 1 Samuel 15), God called the prophet Samuel to anoint a new king of Israel: “Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king” (1 Samuel 16:1 NIV). Samuel did as instructed. And as Jesse presented his sons to Samuel, Samuel waited for the Lord to indicate which of them He had chosen:
“Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him,
1 Samuel 16:10-11 NIV
‘The Lord has not chosen these.’
So he asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’
‘There is still the youngest,’ Jesse answered. ‘He is tending the sheep.'”
“When Samuel came to Bethlehem to see which of Jesse’s sons would be the next king of Israel, Jesse didn’t even put the young, glowing-with-health David in the lineup. But when others only saw a shepherd boy, God saw the king of a great nation.“
Randy Frazee, The Heart of the Story
Samuel had Jesse send for his youngest son, David, and the Lord said, “‘Rise and anoint him; this is the one.’ So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David” (1 Samuel 16:12-13 NIV). David was only a boy when he was called by God, but he already had giant-sized faith. Spending nights alone protecting the sheep in his care, David had many opportunities to worship and commune with the Lord, and he learned to rely on Him for strength, safety, and guidance.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.”
Psalm 23:1-3 NIV
When David volunteered to fight Goliath, Saul immediately tried to discourage him. “‘You don’t have a chance against him,’ Saul replied. ‘You’re only a boy, and he’s been a soldier all his life.'” (1 Samuel 17:33 CEV). But David was not dissuaded in the least: “The Lord has rescued me from the claws of lions and bears, and he will keep me safe from the hands of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37 CEV).
God saw in David what Saul lacked: a desire to trust Him and do His will no matter what. The Lord Himself said about him, “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do” (Acts 13:22 NIV). As David prepared to face Goliath, he did so as the anointed future king of Israel. David knew God had big plans for him, and he trusted in God’s power to see them fulfilled, no matter what he faced.
“Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.“
Psalm 23:4 NIV
Whether or not he would be successful wasn’t even a question in David’s mind, because he knew the battle was the Lord’s. So, as Goliath stood there taunting, and everyone else looked on, expecting to see poor, naive David get brutally killed, David spoke with the authority of Almighty God:
“David replied to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!”
1 Samuel 17:45-47 NLT
“As Goliath approached, David ran out to meet him and, reaching into his shepherd’s bag, took out a stone, hurled it from his sling, and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and the man fell on his face to the ground. So David conquered the Philistine giant with a sling and a stone. Since he had no sword, he ran over and pulled Goliath’s from its sheath and killed him with it, and then cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran.”
1 Samuel 17:48-51 TLB
David was only a boy, but he had the faith and courage to step out and be used by God. And through him, God was able to accomplish the impossible. This is what He does. Time and time again, Scripture shows us that God can do anything if we will just trust Him. How many times have we run into problems much bigger than ourselves and immediately declared that we don’t stand a chance against them? In my case, more times than I’d like to admit. But the story of David and Goliath teaches us that the size of our abilities doesn’t matter, because the battle is the Lord’s. And He can defeat any giant we encounter.
“We need David’s story. Giants lurk in our neighborhoods.
Max Lucado, Cast of Characters
Rejection. Failure. Revenge. Remorse….
Giants. We must face them. Yet we need not face them alone.
Focus first, and most, on God. The times David did, giants fell.”
David wasn’t perfect. As we read more about his life, we’ll see him make mistakes, including some big ones. But, in my opinion, this is when his faith shines even more brightly. Because, unlike his predecessor Saul, when David messes up, he doesn’t make excuses or continue to do things his own way. Instead, he humbles himself, turns back to God, and learns to trust God even more. For me, the example he sets for us in dealing with his failures is even more inspirational than that of his successes.
David was a man after God’s own heart. God said this about him, not because God looked at David and saw perfection, but because He looked at David and saw faith.
“You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.”
Psalm 23:5-6 NIV
“God often uses underdogs to advance his plan. He is not impressed with titles or rank or status but looks inside the heart to find people he can use. He knows that with our willingness to go all in for him and his power to transform shepherds into kings, nothing is impossible.”
Randy Frazee, The Heart of the Story
Nothing is impossible with God. David knew this, and he took down a giant with a single stone. We can do the same. Like David, our lives can be transformed in ways we never imagined. God can use us to accomplish amazing things for His Kingdom, no matter how small or insignificant we appear. Remember God chose David, not because of his looks or his fighting skills, but because of his faith.
Has God called you to do something? If so, then don’t be afraid to do it. Don’t let what others say stop you. Don’t worry about your lack of abilities. God has looked at your heart and He likes what He sees.
“God sees more in you than others see — and perhaps more than you even see in yourself. Remember that!”
Randy Frazee, The Heart of the Story
This week’s Scripture passages all come from psalms written by David. They remind us that God will deliver us when we put our trust in Him, God is our source of strength and peace, and God always keeps His promises. With the Lord as our Shepherd, we can all have the courage to step out in faith, defeat our own giants, and do the impossible!
“Lift your eyes, giant-slayer.
Max Lucado, Cast of Characters
The God who made a miracle out of David stands ready to make one out of you.”
References:
- Frazee, Randy. The Heart of the Story: Discover Your Life Within the Grand Epic of God’s Story. Zondervan, 2017.
- Lucado, Max. Cast of Characters: Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon God. Thomas Nelson, 2008.
- The Story: Read the Bible as One Seamless Story from Beginning to End. Rev. ed., Zondervan, 2008.
Images:
- Stacked Stones against Blue Sky featured image by ha11ok from Pixabay (edited)
- Stacked Stones in Water image by WOKANDAPIX from Pixabay
- David the Shepherd taken from “The Bible Collection : KING DAVID {1997} ___ Full Movie.” YouTube, uploaded by Love-Hope-Restoration, 30 June 2021, https://youtu.be/ryaOdi5Oh-U.
- Sheep image by ekrem from Pixabay (edited)
- David vs. Goliath image taken from “True Monsters: David and Goliath | History.” YouTube, uploaded by HISTORY, 30 October 2015, https://youtu.be/swY3NVcl7Qo.
- King David image taken from “King David Dancing / Rey David Danzando.” YouTube, uploaded by ultimatrompeta, 24 May 2014, https://youtu.be/mgS5I2UrW74.
- Stacked Stones at Sunset image by Ralf Kunze from Pixabay
About The Author
Christa
My vision for Wondertakings was to create a devotional blog for "nerdy" Christians like me. I do believe, as Socrates said, that wisdom begins in wonder. So I love to read or watch anything that inspires wonder and figure out what I can learn from it. I view it all through a Christian lens. I believe that God can and does speak through many sources in many ways, even if those speaking are not aware of it. I am not an expert in theology or religious studies. My goal with this blog is simply to share what I've learned as a fellow student and sinner in the Christian walk. My hope and my prayer is that by doing so I may be able to help someone else. In Deuteronomy 5:33 (NLT), we are told: "Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives. . . ." So in the words of Moses (and Spock), live long and prosper, my friends!