The Upper Room Daily Devotionals in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Listening to God or Goliath?" for Sunday, 5 February 2017 with Scripture 1 Samuel 17:41-51

The Upper Room Daily Devotionals in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Listening to God or Goliath?" for Sunday, 5 February 2017 with Scripture 1 Samuel 17:41 The P’lishti, with his shield-bearer ahead of him, came nearer and nearer to David. 42 The P’lishti looked David up and down and had nothing but scorn for what he saw — a boy with ruddy cheeks, red hair and good looks. 43 The P’lishti said to David, “Am I a dog? Is that why you’re coming at me with sticks?” — and the P’lishti cursed David by his god. 44 Then the P’lishti said to David, “Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds in the air and the wild animals.” 45 David answered the P’lishti, “You’re coming at me with a sword, a spear and a javelin. But I’m coming at you in the name of Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of the armies of Isra’el, whom you have challenged. 46 Today Adonai will hand you over to me. I will attack you, lop your head off, and give the carcasses of the army of the P’lishtim to the birds in the air and the animals in the land. Then all the land will know that there is a God in Isra’el, 47 and everyone assembled here will know that Adonai does not save by sword or spear. For this is Adonai’s battle, and he will hand you over to us.” 48 When the P’lishti got up, approached and came close to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the P’lishti. 49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, and hurled it with his sling. It struck the P’lishti in his forehead and buried itself in his forehead, so that he fell face down on the ground. 50 Thus David defeated the P’lishti with a sling and a stone, striking the P’lishti and killing him; but David had no sword in his hand. 51 Then David ran and stood over the P’lishti, took his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and finished killing him, cutting off his head with it.
When the P’lishtim saw that their hero was dead, they fled.
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David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”[1 Samuel 17:45 (NIV)]
When David fought Goliath, he had a choice. He could believe either the taunts of Goliath or the promises of God. Replying to the Philistine with today’s verse, David chose God — and Goliath lost his head.
Every day, we have choices about what messages we will believe: those that come from the world around us, or those from our God. When I feel as if the world is telling me, “You’re a loser, a worthless failure. No one loves you,” God counters, “You’re my child and I love you unconditionally.” “You’re out of work and you’re going to starve” come the words of doubt. But God says, “I will provide for you.” When we hear, “You have six months to live” Jesus reminds us: “In me, you have eternal life.” When a voice within badgers us with, “Your prodigal children are lost,” God gives us hope: “I can guide them home.”
Even when we feel completely alone, the words of Jesus remind us we are loved: “Surely I am with you always” (Matt. 28:20). We have a choice. What promises will we believe: taunts that echo our doubts, or promises that come from the love of God?
The Author: James N. Watkins (Indiana, USA)
Thought for the Day: I can trust in God’s promises today and every day.
Prayer: Dear Father, help us listen to your voice through scripture, other believers, and your Spirit. Amen.
Prayer focus: Someone struggling to trust God’s love

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