Mark Hart aka BibleGeek (LifeTeen.com) on Letting Go - the David + Goliath story.
The David + Goliath story reading came up in our weekday Mass liturgy recently. I came across an old 2003 newsletter from BibleGeek a few days later (see below). He gives an interpretation of the story that links it to the theme of abandon to God and letting go in trust that I discussed in my previous post.
Mark Hart aka BibleGeek (LifeTeen.com) on Letting Go - the David + Goliath story.
LIFE TEEN Presents
Spread the WORD
“David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell prostrate on the ground.”– 1 Samuel 17:49
SITUATION EXPLAINED
Are you a “control freak” like I am?
SOLUTION OFFERED
When I’m in a car, I like to be the one driving.
When I’m watching television, I like to have the remote control.
When I’m going out to eat, I like to choose the restaurant.
When I’m renting a movie, I like to have the final say.
Okay, I’ll admit it – I’m a control freak. It’s true. Enough said. And while a lot of these little examples can be seen as “human” (or maybe even a little “selfish”, at times) they aren’t necessarily earth-shattering problems. I can work on all of these and all of the other little “control” issues (that I didn’t mention) in my daily life.
When it comes to my SPIRITUAL life, however, I really have to be careful with the “control” issue. If I asked you to honestly tell me WHO was in control of your life on a daily basis, would you respond that you were in control or that God was? Speaking for myself, I struggle with surrendering control of my life to God.
Then I read a passage like this one today and it reminds me what a faithful servant does. We’ve all heard this story about David and Goliath. Stop and really envision this historic scene, though, and think about what an incredible example of surrender that young David (the future King) gives us.
Sure, he had the slingshot and the stones and, yes, he probably practiced with them all the time as he sat shepherding in the hills outside of Bethlehem. No matter how good he was with that slingshot, however…no matter how much God-given talent he possessed, at some point after swinging the sling, he had to LET GO.
At the moment that he let go of sling’s strap, it was all about faith. If he missed, he died. It’s popular to say, “Let go and let God”, but actually DOING it is a whole other thing.
We can have all of the tools we need and use all of the talents we possess as we do battle in this world around us, but at some point we’re gonna have to just LET GO, and let God be God…letting the chips (or in David’s case, the STONEs) fall where they may.
Today, remember that God is in control - to quote Twila Paris:
“God is in control…we believe that His Children will not be forsaken,
God is in control, we will choose to remember and never be shaken,
There is no power above or beside Him we know…God is in control.”
SALVATION GIVEN
“David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell prostrate on the ground.”– 1 Samuel 17:49
Let God “drive the car”, and be thankful that He finds you worthy to “ride shotgun”.
Bible Geek
Mark Hart aka BibleGeek (LifeTeen.com) on Letting Go - the David + Goliath story.
LIFE TEEN Presents
Spread the WORD
“David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell prostrate on the ground.”– 1 Samuel 17:49
SITUATION EXPLAINED
Are you a “control freak” like I am?
SOLUTION OFFERED
When I’m in a car, I like to be the one driving.
When I’m watching television, I like to have the remote control.
When I’m going out to eat, I like to choose the restaurant.
When I’m renting a movie, I like to have the final say.
Okay, I’ll admit it – I’m a control freak. It’s true. Enough said. And while a lot of these little examples can be seen as “human” (or maybe even a little “selfish”, at times) they aren’t necessarily earth-shattering problems. I can work on all of these and all of the other little “control” issues (that I didn’t mention) in my daily life.
When it comes to my SPIRITUAL life, however, I really have to be careful with the “control” issue. If I asked you to honestly tell me WHO was in control of your life on a daily basis, would you respond that you were in control or that God was? Speaking for myself, I struggle with surrendering control of my life to God.
Then I read a passage like this one today and it reminds me what a faithful servant does. We’ve all heard this story about David and Goliath. Stop and really envision this historic scene, though, and think about what an incredible example of surrender that young David (the future King) gives us.
Sure, he had the slingshot and the stones and, yes, he probably practiced with them all the time as he sat shepherding in the hills outside of Bethlehem. No matter how good he was with that slingshot, however…no matter how much God-given talent he possessed, at some point after swinging the sling, he had to LET GO.
At the moment that he let go of sling’s strap, it was all about faith. If he missed, he died. It’s popular to say, “Let go and let God”, but actually DOING it is a whole other thing.
We can have all of the tools we need and use all of the talents we possess as we do battle in this world around us, but at some point we’re gonna have to just LET GO, and let God be God…letting the chips (or in David’s case, the STONEs) fall where they may.
Today, remember that God is in control - to quote Twila Paris:
“God is in control…we believe that His Children will not be forsaken,
God is in control, we will choose to remember and never be shaken,
There is no power above or beside Him we know…God is in control.”
SALVATION GIVEN
“David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell prostrate on the ground.”– 1 Samuel 17:49
Let God “drive the car”, and be thankful that He finds you worthy to “ride shotgun”.
Bible Geek
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