1 Chronicles 20 – December 20
The end of 1 Chronicles 20 and 1 Samuel 17 record two very different interactions between the people of Israel and the Philistine giants. In 1 Samuel 17 you will remember that the people trembled in paralyzed fear at the sight of Goliath. Indeed he was an enemy that they would not attempt to overcome, that is until their new, young leader showed them the power of faith. In this text, the Israelites run up on the Philistines yet again, but this time their faith was far stronger.
In this text we read that Jonathan and Elhanan slayed the large enemy in their midst. This is a remarkable but explainable shift. You see, this time the Israelites had seen what was possible with the Lord. The example of David was an encouragement to the people and evidence of the power and faithfulness of God.
The Scripture speaks often of the importance of our example to those who are watching. It is imperative that we exercise the faith that we so desperately desire to see others obtain! The question I would like to leave you with today is what kind of faith are you showing others? Would a person look upon your life and be challenged or would they see very little difference between your life and their own?
While we realize that God is the author of salvation and therefore the giver of faith, it is important to understand that He has ordained the means by which He gives faith and those methods often include the example of His people! Today I pray that we are the kind of people of faith that are noticeably different to those that surround us. Let us approach life with the same courageous and grounded faith as young David, trusting that God is good and that He is faithful and may those around us see God’s power at work as He leads us and wins the victory in our lives.
Finally, may we glorify God in all that we do. As we said in 1 Samuel 17, the story of David and Goliath is not ultimately about how great David was but about the power and sovereignty of our great God. David was quick to glorify God in the victory, are you? Would the world know that you are who you are today solely because of God’s grace? Would they see that you walk in peace and joy because of God? I pray that we take every opportunity to point a lost world to Him!