God Approved -- April 15, 2009

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
1 Samuel 17:11

Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD's, and He will give you into our hands."

1 Samuel 17:45-47

It should have been Saul who went out to kill the giant! Saul was the biggest (head and shoulders above the rest), he was physically fit, and he was called to shepherd Israel. But Saul was a man-pleaser. That means he feared all men in some way or another because he needed them to like him. He was very afraid of this giant – he knew there was no way to please him except to die.

David overcame many obstacles on his way to fight the giant. He stepped past his family’s disbelief in him and their outright opposition of him in this case. He overcame the king’s doubts about his military ability. David was able to do this because his belief was set firmly in the Lord, not himself or any other human. David was not driven by what others thought of him. He was led by his desire to please God. So even when he had sinned greatly on occasion in his life God defined him as “a man after My heart.” He came in the name of the Lord. He faced Goliath for the sake of God’s honor not his own. David’s sermon says that when he defeats Goliath and the whole Philistine army that Israel will know that God can win with any man who stands in for Him. He doesn’t need the best weapons or position.

David couldn’t believe there was a reward for killing the giant. He had already faced lions and bears with the Lord to protect some sheep assigned to him. Surely God was more concerned with His people than the few sheep David attended. Surely a man, even a giant, wasn’t as threatening as a bear or lion. So David went out a young teen that day and came back a hero because he believed in God.

The results were the beginning of his rise and Saul’s fall. As they returned from the victorious battle the women were singing, "Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands." Saul was not stupid. From that day forward he watched David because he knew David would be the king.

Whose heart do I chase? My spouse’s, boss’s, kid’s, the congregation’s or some other group. Where am I seeking approval? Lord let me find myself chasing you! With your grace lead me to victory by your means.

Pursuing Him,

Pastor Jason