[Tuesday's Devotional] - David

David The great King David's story is told beginning from his childhood. He makes his first appearance in 1 Samuel chapter 16. Saul, whom Samuel had anointed as King had displeased God and Samuel was sent to Bethlehem to Jesse to anoint the one God chose to be his replacement. It turned out to be David, the youngest son of Jesse, who was tending the sheep. David became companion to Saul and the music he made on the harp soothed the tormented soul of Saul. Then one day the Philistines came in war and an army was gathered to go and fight them off. Three of David's brothers followed Saul into battle. David was sent along with the sandwiches! The battle was to be decided in what was effectively a duel - hand to hand combat between Saul and a Philistine representative, Goliath, a giant of nine feet tall. Saul took fright and promised great riches and the hand of his daughter to the man who could defeat the Philistines. (The story can be found in I Samuel 17) David, with the wild misplaced confidence of youth volunteered to do what Saul could not and he was roundly ridiculed especially by his brothers. But David's confidence was not in his own strength or ability, but in God's strength. Rejecting the offer of protective armour (because he was too small for it to fit properly) David, clasping his catapult, faced up to the Philistine who was armed with spear and sword. Goliath laughed at the effrontery of the boy claiming his God would see that he won. And so it was, that with a well-aimed shot, David let a stone loose from his sling, hitting the Giant on the temple and killing him outright. What we usually take from this story is that David was a brave little chap – at least that is what I was taught at Sunday School. David was really confident, but not overconfident as Goliath thought, or self-confident as his brothers thought, but confident in God's power to save his people.  "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." David shows a great deal of understanding and maturity, or wisdom, which is what qualifies him in God's eyes eventually to be the ruler of the nation of Israel. Father God, Thank you that you use the weak and the vulnerable to defeat the oppressive and powerful. Help us to have confidence that however small we or others view us, you can use us in your plans. Amen Mairi Mowbray   Twitter Website Copyright © 2017 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!