Monday Morning Devotion (Facing Your Giant)

Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified…

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.” 1 Samuel 17:8-11, 26, 34-37 (NIV*)

Who do you start and end your day? Does God – anything about God – enter as part of your first thought? (Thank God it’s Friday!) Seriously, as we ‘pop up’ out of bed or drag ourselves to the shower – do we ask God what is on HIS agenda for us today or do we just take off running into the day?

When times are tough is my first focus on the problem or on God who has control of the problem?

David is just a shepherd boy. He is no great battle-seasoned, tactical expert that comes with a well-thought out plan to present to King Saul. David did not know that he has an opportunity to meet a call of destiny on this day – but God did. David had only been doing what he knew to do every day – spend time with God. David talked with Him. David sang praises to Him. David saw his Lord in the every day troubles of life (the lion and bear) and KNEW that his Lord had protected him. David knew he did not defeat his enemies in his own strength but in the power and strength of his God.

Now David sees a GIANT. Does David spend his time looking at the giant like King Saul and the rest of the people did? Did David list all the things to fear about the giant? No, he listed all the characteristics of his God! David said:

“My God is LIVING!”

“My God is my DELIVERER!” “He’s already done that – TWICE!”

Identify the ‘GIANT’ in your life. Is it ‘fear’ of being alone or an illness? Is it being overweight or financial stress? God is bigger than any of these things. Walk it a step at a time. Walk in God’s plan a step at a time. Stand. Stand with our LIVING God!

This is the time of year for Relay for Life, the national fundraiser for cancer research. The information below is from my friend, CJ Pipkins, a cancer survivor. Too many people have been ‘taunted’ by this giant, cancer. We are able to stand because of our LIVING GOD. God can and does heal. He touches us with His powerful hand through prayer and through His God-given wisdom that brings us new breakthroughs every day. In the late 1970’s while in nursing school, I spent time at St. Jude’s Hospital. The success rate then for childhood leukemia was less than 50%. Today that is almost 90%. God is good. Please give CJ’s request some prayerful thought and consideration:

From CJ: Okay Relay is just 2 weeks away….and because I have a precious new baby I haven’t been able to do fundraisers, so I was thinking if I could get everyone to go to my web-site (address below…hold down your ‘control’ key and just left-click on it) and donate at least $1.00 to help the American Cancer Society with research in hopes of finding a cure for cancer!!!!!

My team is “Walk BY Faith”…I also need team members so if you would like to join PLEASE, PLEASE feel free to join and send your friends/family/coworkers a letter to donate at least $1.00!!! Everyone knows someone that has been touched by this terrible disease.

We need walkers that will walk with us Friday, April 27th starting 6:30 p.m. at Tate High School (Pensacola, FL) till Saturday, April 28th at noon!!!!!!! Please come join us! Its lots of fun!

Click on this website to see my page and donate a dollar or 25 cent!

*“Scripture taken from HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.”
The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.