journey onWord with us

Songs of the season are familiar to everyone. Last Sunday night my wife and I sang Christmas Carols with a group of seniors. The average age of the group was certainly north of eighty-five years old. Those folks could mouth the words of every song from memory. It struck me today that most of them had been singing these same songs for over 80 years. Wow! I have been singing them for over fifty years, and although I know there must be some newer songs of the season, I couldn’t name any.  Except for one! I’m fairly certain you have heard of the only one I can name … “Mary, Did You Know?” by Mark Lowry.

Every time I hear that song, there is an emotional response.  Something about what Mary knew and what she didn’t know fascinates me.  Very quickly after hearing the classic words of this song, I typically move on to something else, and often the words (and their meaning) don’t linger. You may feel the same way, so I wanted to rehearse with you a few of the lines from this newer song of the season. Just maybe, they will cause you to reflect on His majestic birth and awesome power. Remember, we are celebrating that God became flesh, and that truth can never be overstated.

Take just a moment to reflect on some select words from this song that you have heard, enjoyed and maybe never stopped to internalize.

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day walk on Water?

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?

Jesus did walk on water.  And He will give eternal life to anyone who puts their trust in Him for salvation. Can you imagine raising the Son of God in your home? Mary fixed Him meals, gave Him baths as a child, never had to punish Him for misdeeds, and was probably profoundly impacted by the infinite capacity of His greatness. But could she have imagined Him on the water, or that He would one day die on the cross for us?

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?

When you kiss your little Baby, you kiss the face of God?

My Savior (and I trust yours) did heal the blind man, and He still can and will heal today. Never let your soul become so barren that you doubt His ability to do what doctors only wish they could do. One of the thrills of every parent and grandparent is giving that special little boy or girl hugs and kisses. Mary undoubtedly loved to give the baby Jesus those same hugs and kisses. I get chills just typing the words that she was kissing the face of God. Could she have imagined in any way the depth of His specialness?

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy is the Lord of all Creation?

This sleeping Child you’re holding is the Great I Am!

We find in Scripture that by Him (Jesus) were all things created in heaven and on earth. But on the day that Christ was born, and Mary held Him close, what must she have been thinking? She was holding the Lord of all Creation to be raised in her humble home. He was called Immanuel—which means God with us. My mind races in wonder trying to wrap my arms around what Mary sensed and knew about Immanuel in her home. Today we have Scripture, history and the Holy Spirit helping us worship the Lord of all creation – the Great I Am.  Mary had an angel’s pronouncement that the Lord was with her and that she would give birth to the Son of God. She knew His name would be Jesus, but I can only imagine what she sensed and wondered as that Holy Child grew up in her household.

I admit that I am fascinated by one of the newer songs of the season, “Mary, Did You Know?” On Christmas Day, we will celebrate what we do know – that hope was born on that day.  The child that Mary raised grew up and walked on water, healed the lame, calmed the storm, raised the dead and died on a cross, and then to top it off, rose from the grave … ALL FOR US!

On this earth, we’ll never know all that Mary really understood. But I am so glad that this song of the season reminds me that Christmas is about the Lord of all creation, the great I Am….. Savior of all who accept Him!

For those who are interested, click here to view Mark Lowry singing “Mary, Did You Know?”

We know the songs … Silent Night, O Holy Night, Away in a Manger, and others like them … we’ve sung them so many times.  These beautiful songs seem to set the mood so well, and lead us to a place of true worship.  But in the intentional practice of Advent this Christmas season, I have collided into a compelling question that challenges some of these traditional Christmas carols.  Was it really a silent night?

There are only two books in the Bible that speak directly of that blessed evening in Bethlehem … the night of our dear Savior’s birth.  Matthew’s gospel and Luke’s gospel are the only two that tell the story of the nativity (birth) of Jesus.  Yes, there are other prophetic writings, but these two gospels are the only mention of the specific narrative of the story.  So what do these two books have to say about that night?

Matt 2:1
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea…

Luke 2:6-7
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Matthew provides no details at all, but chooses to jump right from a big list of lineage and the backstory of Mary and Joseph’s engagement, right to the wise men.  (As a side note, when you are reading Matthew 1 this coming Saturday, pause a second at verse 17.  We serve an intentional God!)  Luke gives us two whole verses, but hardly enough detail to pen multiple verses of sacred Christmas carols.

Where are the lowing cattle?  Wait … check that, were there even animals there at the actual time of his birth?  My nativity sets have sheep … OK, they must have come a little later with the shepherds.  But wait, does Luke’s narrative (chapter 2, verses 8-17) mention that the shepherds even brought their sheep with them?  One of my nativity sets has a camel … OK, it must have come with the three wise men.  Wait … did I say three wise men?  What was the chapter and verse reference for three, again?  And although no one would argue that the wise men would have had a camel with them, neither the wise men nor the camel belong in the stable scene with the shepherds. 

I will stop at this point and acknowledge that my purpose in all of this is not to blow apart the beauty and holiness of that night … quite the contrary.  What I have found over the past couple of years in the intentional practice of Advent, is that we add a lot of sentimentality to the nativity of Jesus.  And while that can certainly make for a deeper worship experience in the a capella harmony of Silent Night or O Holy Night, I think it distracts us from the most shocking and life-giving truth of that holy night.  Namely, that God chose to become fully human in the person of his Son and acquaint himself with every single thing that defines us and our experience of being fully human.

I don’t believe it was a silent night.  Make no mistake, it was holy … but I don’t believe it was silent.  I believe Mary labored, and experienced the pain every mother experiences in childbirth.  It’s quite possible there were cattle in the stable, and they may have woken the baby Jesus with their lowing … but I am not convinced that He didn’t cry.  I was in the delivery room for the birth of both my boys … they cried (so did my wife and I – I connect with Mary and Joseph in the experience of the birth of my boys).  God chose a redemption plan that had as its cornerstone, a fully human Savior.  Jesus, Immanuel, Prince of Peace, a baby boy not conceived like any other, but born exactly like every other. 

I do not reject the notion that the face of Jesus glowed as He laid in the manger.  I firmly believe that the nativity of Jesus was unlike any other before it, or since, and that absolutely means it could have been unlike anything that I have seen or experienced.  I do choose, however, to see a very human scene that night … the pain of childbirth, the sounds of a newborn baby, the joy of holding Him, and the very real fear of “now what?!”  This fully human experience expands the story for me.  It rings true with a God who chose for his Son to experience the full breadth of us and how we enter the world and navigate through it.  To me, an all-was-not-calm night shouts, “God with us!  Immanuel!”   That is anything but silent, but entirely Holy.

At Journey onWord, we pray for a blessed Christmas for each and every one of you who intersects with this space.  In the news and in our own lives there is obvious pain and suffering that doesn’t know what season it is.  But praise God that He chose to send us a Savior that experienced every bit of the joy and pain that we have, and will in our lifetime.  He knows, He cares … draw near to Him and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).  At Christmas we celebrate a birth.  If you have experienced the rebirth that comes in accepting this Jesus we speak of as your personal Savior, rejoice in that, and we rejoice along with you.  If you have never experienced this Jesus we speak of, and the fully human story of His birth, please reach out to us.  We would love to introduce you to the one person who will forever change your life … Jesus Christ.

“As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
II Samuel 22:31

Every day matters! At minimum, each ordinary day is an extraordinary gift from our Creator.  None of us can project how any ordinary day will affect our lives. So it is critical for all of us to be prepared for each one. There is no better preparation for the onslaught of events that consume our days than by starting each day in the Word. Every Sunday after reading Scripture, our pastor says the same words, and they are profound. “This is God’s Word and it is true”. Something takes place when we read Scripture. We are getting great counsel, insight for living each day, and absolute truth. And whether we see it or not, we are being changed.  Wow!  Why wouldn’t anyone sign up for such a great opportunity? At Journey onWord, we are offering you that very opportunity for 2013.

Will you consider taking a chronological walk through the Bible with us? We believe you’ll become convinced that Every Day Matters!

Our goal in reading through the Bible chronologically in 2013 is to help you journey through the Word as events occurred. You will be excited to complete reading through all 66 books of the Bible, but with a bit of variety that you may never have experienced before.  It will take a measure of discipline to start strong and finish well.  Remember, every day matters.

Our process will be the same every day throughout the year. You will typically read just a few chapters each day, with a chronological flow through Scripture. Each Saturday evening in 2013 you will continue to receive the next week’s Bible reading assignment via email. By sending it to you weekly, there is a natural reminder to get started well for the next week. There will be times that you get behind (we all do), but catching up is not hard to do. And those weekly updates keep you on track.  Applying what you read is critical, and we will provide study sheets for those who enjoy taking notes on each passage.

As part of our goal to encourage you in the Word, you will continue to receive the two weekly devotionals to help enhance your walk in Christ. Typically, they are focused on the passages of Scripture that we are reading each week.

Remember, we believe at Journey onWord that every day matters.

Yesterday didn’t have much of that Christmas season feel to me … until last night! My wife was the emcee at an appreciation concert for a ministry that helps the hurting in our area.  I thought it was a great thing for her to do, but I wasn’t really into it. You may not be like me, but sometimes I get just a bit too selfish with my time. But since my wife chose to volunteer my participation, I had to be there.  And I am glad I did! There was incredible talent displayed in those who entertained us, but the evening held more than great music for me.  Would you like to know why?

When I heard the story of how the ministry of helps started, I was reminded again of our All Knowing God who really cares. And after listening to the founder of this ministry speak, I deleted the article that I had already started to write for today.  For me, it is frankly difficult to transition from the insane commercial aspects of Christmas into the real purpose of why we celebrate. But after listening to the founder speak, the stage is set for a good Christmas this year.  God is the ultimate helper of the hurting! He gave us His Son, born in a manger, hung on a cross and raised from the dead to redeem us.

As you read the story of this ministry of helps as I heard it, think of  the words of Warren Wiersbe, taken from his  book entitled  Wiersbe’s  Expository Outlines on the Old Testament.  “God’s name is nowhere seen in this book (Esther), but God‘s hand is nowhere missing!  He is “standing somewhere in the shadows” ruling and overruling.“  I believe He does the same today.

One day 18 years ago, my wife’s friend Clarence received a phone call from a total stranger.  The caller was desperate, and told him that some nuns from a hospital had given her his name and number.  Clarence thought that was odd since he didn’t know any nuns.  After hearing Bertha’s story laced with tragedy and pain, Clarence got some others to help him, and they ministered to the needs of Bertha’s family.  But the story doesn’t end there.  Bertha was later admitted to the hospital with a serious condition, and felt the need to write Clarence a letter.  She wanted him to know that she had lied about their introduction. There were no nuns … it was a phone book.  As she kneeled, crying out to God for help (Bertha had two daughters and six grandchildren living with her – and no hope), she opened a phone book in front of her.  By divine providence, Clarence’s appeared to be larger and bolder than all the rest — so she dialed his number!  But the story doesn’t end there.  In doing the math, I calculated Clarence was about 70 years old when Bertha called him with the nun story. He is going to be 89 next month, and his ministry of helps that was started by a phone book is still vibrant today.  It might also interest you to know that his ministry has cared for over 6,000 people in our area. The greater good of this ministry is the hundreds and even thousands of people who have been given the message of real help and real hope through Jesus Christ.  And before you start thinking that this is one of those nice stories, but not really true … I must tell you that Bertha was at the appreciation concert last night.

God is the ultimate giver of help, but all Christ followers can reflect His care in some small way during this Christmas season.  None of us is exempt from extending a loving hand that just may help change a life. As your friend, I want to gently challenge you to do something …

Over the next two weeks, find someone to help as part of your Christmas giving.  

Even the simplest act will rightly ready you for the celebration of Christmas.  And then, don’t settle for just helping at the holidays.  It’s a wonderful life — let yours speak as Clarence’s has.  “It is not the healthy who need a doctor…” (Mark 2:17, Luke 5:32, Matt. 9:12)

Anyone looking back at the seasons of their life will certainly find some high points, and also times of discouragement and defeat. Often the times of defeat are due to our own selfishness and sin. God gives us a glimpse of real life through the pages of His Word. One of the most referenced real life heroes is David. Tracking the events of his life helps us relate our high points, discouraging moments and devastating defeats to those of a “man after God’s own heart.” He went from a shepherd, to battle hero, then to a fugitive and eventually a king. He committed adultery, had a man murdered, and lived with pain of his mistakes. Although our issues may not be like his, we all know the peaks and valleys of real life. One particular high point for David is often overlooked but gives us great lessons.

David the king was a man of power. In II Samuel 9, we find an event that clearly shows him also to be a man of grace and kindness. To me, this event shows the heart of a man who loved God and converted that love to others. It is well-known that David had a special relationship with Saul’s (former king) son Jonathon. David lived as a fugitive from Saul, and over the course of that time, both Saul and Jonathon died. When news of their death came, another tragedy happened.

II Samuel 4:4
Jonathon son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathon came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled. His name was Mephibosheth.

Dad and grandfather are dead and this child is crippled for life. You can imagine the heartbreak and life struggles that ensued, but fast-forward about twenty years. Mephibosheth is a crippled young man in his middle twenties, and David is on top militarily, spiritually and financially. One day David asks, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathon’s sake?” (II Samuel 9:1)

David had earlier agreed not to destroy Saul’s family. But think about this for a moment – it is now many years after Saul’s death, and David is looking to show kindness. Sounds like a “man after God’s own heart” to me.

As the events unfold, we find David showing great grace and kindness to Mephibosheth. He restores the land that had belonged to his grandfather Saul, and committed that Mephibosheth would always eat at his (David’s) table. David may have been honoring Jonathon’s legacy, but to me there is more. A man at the top, reaching out to the hopeless! I believe that he was being sensitive to His Father’s leading. What a significant example to us as we daily strive to follow our Father’s leading. If we look outward, and submit to the Spirit, we too can be used to show kindness to a crippled Mephibosheth in our own real life.

In the book of I Samuel, the nation of Israel has had enough with the judges, and they petition Samuel for a king.  They look around at the nations surrounding them and want what they have.  After a God-inspired caution by Samuel, the people refuse and emphatically declare, “No!” … “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” (I Samuel 8:19b-20)  God’s reply?  “Listen to them and give them a king.” (v.22)

In the context of our current reading, we witness the transition from Israel’s first king to possibly their best king.  Scholars and believers alike will debate it, but a strong case can be made for David.  In a whirlwind, David is anointed king and goes immediately into battle.  He conquers Jerusalem and defeats the Philistines.  He brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, and God communicates a prolific promise through Nathan.  In every way, David is the “go out before us and fight our battles” sort of king that Israel wanted.  Even God himself would say about David, “…I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart.” (Acts 13:22 NLT).  So maybe the people were right to have demanded a king.

I am pretty sure you would disagree with that last statement.  I know I do.  Why do I disagree?  Very simply, because in demanding a king, the people were rejecting God.  At the end of verse 7 in I Samuel 8, God reassured Samuel, “it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.”  But what about God referring to David as “…a man after my own heart”?  Even in God’s description of David, it is wrong to miss that He calls him a man after His own heart.  And no man is ever a substitute for God.

Read the Psalms, read his prayer in II Samuel 7 … there is no arguing that David was a godly and good king.  There is good reason to study his character and his life, both the good and the bad.

I believe one of the most important things for us to notice in the life of David is revealed in the conversation between Samuel and God.  Although it doesn’t relate to him directly, I believe it gives a bold and necessary pause to us today when we look around and see “David’s” in our own lives.  “David’s in our own lives?”, you might ask.  “We aren’t ruled by kings these days.”  I would humbly suggest that this very real possibility does exist.

Were you at all influenced by the very vocal declarations in the past few election cycles that each was “the most critical election of your lifetime”?  Is there a pastor, a teacher or an organization that you trust implicitly and never question?  Have they written books you refer to and quote more than the Bible?

Who is on the throne in our lives?  I believe the story of the transition from judges to kings in the nation of Israel’s history, and the contrast between the godly and fallen character of David gives us great pause to consider that question.  I pray that you boldly answer “God!”, and that your life speaks that truth.  With the everyday activity and pressures of life, there can be a great temptation for a tangible king in our lives that goes out before us and fights our battles.  Guard your heart, and don’t allow any “man” to be a substitute for God’s rightful place.

I found great encouragement this week in a small paragraph amongst the early pages of The Practice of the Presence of God.  In describing the character at the heart of this small but powerful book, it was written…

“Brother Lawrence wasn’t surprised by the amount of sin and unhappiness in the world.  Rather, he wondered why there wasn’t more, considering the extremes to which the enemy is capable of going.  He said he prayed about it, but because he knew God could rectify the situation in a moment if He willed it, he didn’t allow himself to become greatly concerned.”

No man is ever a substitute for God.

Some years back there was a book that became all the rage.  Topping many best seller lists, it was entitled When Bad Things Happen To Good People (by Harold S. Kushner).  I can only assume that the public became so interested in the book because … well … bad things DO happen to good people.  People who are kind and honest, hard-working and loyal – people who love God and try to please Him.  So we all ask the question, Why?  Part of that answer can be found in the story of David, the future king of Israel.  For 11 years he ran, literally running for his very life, from the murderous king Saul.  David was passionate and honorable and loyal – and he loved God greatly.  So again, let’s ask the question … Why?

There has to be a very important principle here that the Lord wants us to see because 14 chapters of the Bible are devoted to David’s time running as a fugitive.  Fourteen chapters and eleven years that David had to always be ready to flee.  He had been anointed king but he had no throne.  Caves became his dwellings, and when he did have the luxury of staying in a town, he had to be on guard, for Saul had spies everywhere.

I Samuel 27:1
But David thought to himself, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul.”

Can you imagine running for your life, day after day, month after month … year after year?!  It’s no wonder that David became despondent sometimes, feeling that it was inevitable that Saul would indeed catch him one day.  But it was during these desperate times for David that he wrote some of the most beautiful and inspiring poetry in history, the Psalms.  He pours his heart out on paper as he speaks of desperation, exhaustion, betrayal … and God’s faithfulness, power, and loyalty.  How many people have those beautiful Psalms aided and renewed through the years?  In times of trouble they have been an inspiration to thousands.

Ok, so David’s fugitive years gave us some beautiful literature – what else?  David had 2 golden opportunities to kill Saul, end his running and assume the throne – and he walked away both times.  David learned restraint.  He learned respect for authority, even when that authority was evil. He learned about diplomacy and how to deal with all types of people.  In other words, he learned how to be a king.

It can be a cliché but please bear with me; God’s timing is perfect, God knows what he is doing and we have to trust Him.  During these terrible years of running for David, God was refining and molding David knowing that he could, and would, become the greatest king Israel ever saw!  I can’t explain why bad things happen to good people, but I can trust enough to believe that God could have a future purpose that I don’t know anything about or may not even be able to understand at that point.

Sometimes its only ours to hold on tight and just Trust.

Years ago, a man who I was helping with his marriage gave me a solemn, but telling description of it.  His words were … It’s seventy-two degrees on the porch and thirty degrees in the house.  He felt all alone in his own home.  When our twenty year-old daughter headed to New York City for college, she didn’t know a soul.  She was all alone in a sea of humanity (and rats in the dorm).  And it has been almost three years since a close friend of mine attended a meeting of like-minded professionals.  During the meeting, he shared the pain of his wife passing away just months before.  The other attendees gave lip service to caring, and then went on with their prescribed meeting.  My friend was all alone in a meeting with people he was convinced would really care about his pain. I could go on and on about those overwhelming emotions that capture us when we feel all alone, but I believe you understand my point.

Over the past week, I have been reading and studying about a “man after God’s own heart.” You know him as David. His life was filled with an inordinate amount of peaks and valleys. My reading has given me a fresh look at this man’s life – strengths and weaknesses alike. After his slaying of Goliath and the fanfare that ensued, his life eventually took a painful turn. For a long season, he was on the run from King Saul. His outlaw life placed him in a cave for a time, during which he wrote Psalm 142. Saul was intent on taking David’s life when the words were penned. There is no doubt he was in danger, overwhelmed and feeling abandoned. Words from this marvelous Psalm speak to his trust, and give hope to all Christ followers.  

Psalm 142:3-5 (NLT)
When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn.
Wherever I go,my enemies have set traps for me.  I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. Then I pray to you, O Lord.  I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.

David was overwhelmed, and conceded that he felt that no one really cared a bit about what happened to him. When is the last time you had that all alone feeling? Have you ever felt like no one really gave much thought to what you were experiencing? Sure, you weren’t running from enemies, but the feelings of aloneness still overwhelmed you. We all know what it is like to feel alone at home, in a crowd or with people we thought cared about us, but really didn’t. The key is how we respond to those inevitable times when our emotions of being all alone dim our view of God.

In David’s prison of a cave, we see his pain caused by being overwhelmed bubble to the surface. It’s interesting that we also view a supreme confidence in his Lord. He said; you alone know the way I should turn. He later prayed: You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. He knew God had an answer for his aloneness, affirmed that God was his refuge and then declared that his desire in life was God. His faith and confidence in Jehovah conquered his feelings of abandonment in the cave.

You and I will have feelings of being all alone … even in a room full of people. There will be times when we feel no one understands or cares, or gives our pain a passing thought. But there is Someone who cares! He never misses a moment of your life, and if you are in Christ, you are never all alone in your struggle. Your challenge and mine is this — Will we make Him our refuge for every day, and desire His plan for us above all else? If we do, faith will conquer our feelings, and we will know that we are never all alone.

By the time you read this article, Thanksgiving Day has arrived or even passed. I struggle with how to encourage you to say thanks. This may have been your best year ever, or one you want to forget. Depending on how your year is going, Thanksgiving this year may be a great time, or it could be one of those “just get this over with” sort of days. But for just a moment, let me share with you a memory from one of my rough Thanksgiving seasons. It reminded me that I can be thankful, even in the tough times.

It was the only time in my adult life when I was without a job. Genel and I had a small child, school payments, the regular bills and an emotional state that was less than stellar. There happened to be a man in our lives who acted as a mentor. He was successful in business, strong in faith and just a great friend. During our dry season, I would see him periodically. It was incredible how often, as he shook my hand, there would be a fifty dollar bill attached. I was pretty proud, and he may never have known what that gesture meant to me emotionally and literally. Those moments of kindness always picked me up, let me know that someone cared, and met our needs in special ways (including groceries). Genel shared with me the other day that she is challenged to care for others because of what that man did for us. This afternoon I felt challenged to call this wonderful man, and say thank you. Why? Because it has been over two decades since his kind handshakes, and we’ve never forgotten them, and we never will.  Our friend had a heart that had been radically changed by faith in Christ, and the love of Christ was extended to us.

So here is my feeble attempt at encouraging you to say thanks.This year, whether it’s been a great one, or just one of those” get it over with” ones, I am going to challenge you to do something.  There may be someone in your past or present that needs to hear these words from you…..”thanks for___________________.” It could be that stretching yourself to say thanks to someone who has blessed or benefited you will encourage them. But you’ll never know if you don’t say it. We haven’t seen our friend face to face in many years, but his love and kindness are still fresh today. I am not sure if he reads our articles, but if he does, thanks again, Bill.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also say thanks to the Source of all good gifts. Psalms 100 gives us words to repeat on Thanksgiving Day, and every other day.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Thanks Father, and thanks for giving all of us a “Bill” or two in our life to extend your love.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Journey onWord!

It was one of the favorite Bible stories of my Sunday school years.  I even loved the little song that we sang.

Only a boy named David
Only a little sling …
And the sling went round and round …

There are those who believe it is the greatest Bible story ever. But reading it again (as an adult this time) I saw the story in a whole new light.  David had been relegated back to shepherd boy – from court musician to the king’s armor bearer … back to shepherd.  He must have been so disappointed.  A young man of 19 who thought he was going to experience the excitement of the battlefield only to be sent back to the lonely pasture with the silent sheep.  But God’s timing and placement is always perfect because David needed a little bit more training.  It was during this time that David killed a bear and a lion with not much more than his bare hands.

I Samuel 17:34-37 (NIV)
But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.  Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Grabbing a wild animal by its hair?! God was teaching this young man courage, confidence and warfare. But the most important principle learned was that God would give the victory. In situations most perilous, God would give the victory.  In impossible predicaments, God would give the victory.  When the odds were all against him, God would give the victory.   When the giant, Goliath, blasphemed the name of David’s God, he was unafraid.  And when the two of them had a shouting match on the battlefield, David answered all the questions for Goliath.  Keith Kaynor, in his book When God Chooses, imagines the conversation going something like this:

WHY?       Your daily ranting is actually an offense to my God.
WHO?       I will slay you.
WHAT?     Complete victory
HOW?       Not by human might, but by the power of my God.
WHEN?      Now
WHERE?    Here

David had gathered 5 stones, but it took only one.  We truly can do all things through Christ; He strengthens us beyond human understanding.  Even if we have to go back to the pasture, when we thought we would be traveling with the king!  Maybe we’re still in training – we just don’t know it yet.  I love this Bible story!

I get chills when I read I Samuel 17:45-47 as David tells Goliath what he is going to do and why.  This is undeniably one of the greatest military victories in history – a combination of man and God.  David practicing countless hours with his sling as he fought boredom out in the pasture, and then God enabling his servant with the power behind that little sling.  Great spiritual victories come from a scenario like this.  Keith Kaynor says, “If a believer can totally explain his successes, there isn’t much God in them!”  And who wants limitations like that?!