David & Goliath

Is God fighting for me? Am I fighting for Him? This morning I studied the story of David and Goliath. I'm in the midst of a book called "Praying the Names of God" by Ann Spangler. This week the study is focused on Yahweh Tsebaoth - The Lord of Hosts.

What an awesome name! Ann Spangler says it this way... "Yahweh Tsebaoth is a title of great power... reminding us that all of creation, even in its fallen condition, is under God's rule and reign. At times Scripture speaks of the Lord of Hosts leading a great army. Cherubim and seraphim; sun and moon; stars and sky; rivers and mountains; hail and snow; men and women; animals, wild and tame -- all these worship the Lord and are at times called to fight on his behalf. The NIV translates this title as 'Lord Almighty'."

What better example of this name than the story of David and Goliath? Ordinary David is able to defeat a giant, because as David says (I Samuel 17) "You come to me with sword and spear and 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 very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand." And David is victorious! Not because he is a crack shot with a sling, but because God used his stone to drop Goliath to the ground. GOD won the victory. And David knew it.

Then Ann Spangler asked an interesting question: "Remember times in your own life when you felt embattled. How did you deal with your struggles? What one thing could you do today that would help you face future battles with greater faith?"

I sat and thought this question. Eventually I realized I couldn't answer it. To me, the premise of the whole question is out of line. Yet it illustrates a common theme in American Christianity that I've begun to notice everywhere. The emphasis of the question is on ME. How do I deal with MY struggles? How can I face MY battles with greater faith? We take the great stories of the Bible, see the wonderful things that God did, and assume that He will automatically do those same things for us. We think, "God fought for David. That means God will fight for me!"

But wait, that isn't the context of the story. David wasn't fighting Goliath in his own backyard. He wasn't in a desperate situation calling on God to defeat a giant in his own life. This wasn't just ANY struggle. David went out to fight Goliath because Goliath was defying GOD, and David knew that God wouldn't stand for it. David knew God would win. So he figured that fighting on God's side was incredibly safe. IT WASN'T HIS BATTLE. IT WAS GOD'S. He was fighting on God's side. And he knew he was fighting alongside the hosts of heaven.

To preach the message "God will fight for you!" is only part of the story. We need to understand the whole truth. When DOES God fight for us? Well, it depends on what kind of fight we've gotten ourselves into. James 4:1-4 makes it clear that when we are fighting and scheming to get what we want (what will bring us pleasure) that God won't bother to send in reinforcements. In fact, verse 4 says that trying to enjoy the world makes us an enemy of God. And I don't think that God will be fighting alongside his enemies. At that point he is fighting against us.

Sheesh. How many of my battles -- daily situations where I ask God to intervene -- are only things that I WANT. How much of my focus is wasted fighting and scheming for the wrong thing?

So what kind of fighting will rally the hosts of heaven? My thoughts turned immediately to Paul. Though Paul experienced incredible suffering, he also experienced God's supernatural intervention on a regular basis. A miraculous release from prison. A last minute rescue from a sinking ship. Deliverance from an angry mob. God definitely fought for Paul. But what was the theme of Paul's life? "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful." (2 Timothy 4:7) Paul said his life was "poured out as an offering to God."

So we ask the question, will God fight for me when I am the victim of injustice? When I am battling an illness? When I am struggling in my finances?

Maybe the answer lies in this: What is the theme of my life? Am I striving to bring God glory in all that I do? Is my desire to advance His kingdom and proclaim His Word? If my mission is the same as the apostle Paul, then perhaps I will experience the same things he did. Perhaps the truth is that God delights to fight our battles when we are fighting His.

This is the lesson of David and Goliath. God enters into our world and fights our battles when we are striving to honor Him. If our hearts are right, we don't fight just to benefit ourselves. God knows our motives! (Proverbs 24:12) It isn't about us. God saved us to bring Himself glory. And yet, don't we always benefit from the Lord winning His battles? He is so good, because He draws us into His triumph, and He delights in allowing us to experience the blessing from His victory. Isn't it amazing to know Yahweh Tsebaoth - The Lord of Hosts - as our God?