WEDNESDAY, JULY 14
This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I will strike you and remove your head from you. Then I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,
1 Samuel 17:46 (NASB)
THE HERO: GOD’S PRESENCE
An archaeologist was digging in the Negev Desert in Israel and came upon a casket containing a mummy. After examining it, he called the curator of a prestigious natural-history museum. “I’ve just discovered a 3,000 year-old mummy of a man who died of heart failure!” the excited scientist exclaimed. To which the curator replied, “Bring him in. We’ll check it out.” A week later, the amazed curator called the archaeologist. “You were exactly right about the mummy’s age and cause of death. How in the world did you know?” “Easy. There was a piece of paper in his hand that said, ‘10,000 Shekels on Goliath.’”
Anyone who bet on Goliath that day was in for a shock. David bet on God’s presence being with him. Goliath was not dealing with an ordinary boy, but with a believer in God, one who knows that his people stand or fall by the word of their God, one who is confident that God will fight for His people. He was assured by divine inspiration, by the impulse of the Spirit of God upon him; or otherwise he could not have expressed himself with such certainty.
Reflection
James Hudson Taylor said, “All God’s giants have been weak men, who did great things for God because they
reckoned on His being with them.” Cole added to this on Sunday by reminding us the point is not to do great things for God. Instead the goal is to do things for a great God!
Praise
Thank God for His faithful presence in your life. Ask God to keep you constantly aware that you are not alone in the battle.
