The Little One Is The Strong One.

The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. (Psalm 27:1-2)

During the New Year's Eve sermon at Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene, Pastor Sam quoted from Psalm 27. It is a powerful psalm. Many of us have memorized portions of it, and some of us have memorized all of it. But, as Pastor Sam noted on New Year's Eve, we may be challenged with a disconnect between our knowledge of what is true and our complete devotion to the Word of truth, who is Jesus our Lord.

If we serve the One who is our light and our salvation, then we need not fear.

David had no disconnect. He knew what God could do for him personally. As we reflect on the narrative from last Sunday, First Samuel chapter 17, we recognize that the David who wrote Psalm 27 is the same David who lived Psalm 27. David went into battle fearlessly, fully expecting that the Lord was with him.

The Israelite army endured forty days of talk from Goliath, but then a boy named David showed up and did some talking of his own. What a contrast it must have been to see David, a young man who didn't even own proper fighting attire, running to fight Goliath-- while the army of Israel, in full battle array, stood back in fear.

I think this post today is directed towards those of us who know about Psalm 27 and First Samuel 17, and who have tons of head knowledge about the presence and power of God, but who find ourselves in 2015 scared. We're decked out in full battle array, and yet we're afraid to take on the Goliaths in our lives. I would like to encourage us today with the conversation between David and Goliath (printed below). If we know who our God is and what He can do, then we have no need to fear.

Don't run away scared. Run to the frontlines... and fight.

First Samuel 17:41-51

Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”

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. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 

All Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.