Today's Psalm: 40:10 "I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. "We are faced with challenges in order to develop our godly character and teach us to put our complete faith in God to see us through them. When Saul was a young man, his character seemed to reveal that he was truly humble. After he won his first battle, he humbly professed that salvation came from the Lord, but that humbleness quickly changed to pride as he gained more power. Often many Christians fall into that same pattern, they begin their walk with Christ humbled and eager to please God only to exalt themselves the more successful they become. Saul became a jealous and proud man, wanting all the glory for himself, he was challenged once again when David was anointed to eventually take his place as king. During Saul's reign, the giant warrior Goliath had challenged the Israelite army to send a man to fight him and let the outcome of that fight decide who will serve the other. "And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span........ ...And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us." (I Samuel 17:3-4,8-9). Not one of these men stood up to the challenge, fearing for their lives. Often, we too stand at the sidelines looking at the challenges we face with fear instead of trusting in God to help us through them. Then David came into the Israelite camp, we he saw that they were afraid he offered to fight Goliath. "And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.. ......... ...And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.. ......... ..Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel." (17:32,40,45- 46). David put his complete trust in God, knowing that as long as He was with him that he would be able to defeat this giant. David defeated Goliath with a little stone, "And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled." (17:49-51). Following this spectacular victory over Goliath and the Philistines, David was welcomed into the palace of King Saul and was made his trusted captain of the guard. David's rising popularity was too much for Saul. When Saul heard women singing praises about him, he became exceedingly jealous and attempted to kill David by throwing a javelin at him as he was playing his harp. "And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul." (18:8-12). Saul's pride and jealousy controlled him and eventually he became determined to either murder David or cause him to be killed. Like David, we are put through these challenges to see if we will remain faithful and prove worthy of our high calling. The difficulties, handicaps, and suffering in life we face are permitted by God to develop our godly character and allow us to accomplish His will in our lives. We are each accountable for our disposition when handling the challenges that come our way. We can choose to become bitter and resentful, blaming God and others for our troubles or we can choose to put our complete trust in God to lead us to victory. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5:1-5).
AMEN
