Contemplations on the Divine

The Goliath Within

What is the most startling fact about the slaying of Goliath? Is it the fact that the mighty warrior was killed by a slingshot? Is it the fact that the giant was subdued by a mere child, a shepherd working in place of his old father? Is it the fact that despite his entire body armor he was not completely protected while before him a completely exposed boy stood without the fear of his giant sword?

The lack of fear in David was the proof that Goliath had already been defeated in his mind because God was with him.

What does the Goliath represent? If we turn to the Bible and read 1 Samuel 17:11 we find "When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid."

Dismay or despair may be defined as the complete lack of hope.

"O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore" writes David in Psalms 131:3.

Goliath is the fear and the lack of hope that is inside us. We read of God's miracle, witness it with our own eyes. Yet we refuse to believe that God can choose to work the same miracle in our lives. We often contrast the greatness of God to the insignificance of our existence. We fail to acknowledge that our existence is a result of God's will. Nothing can exist outside the plan of God.

What is your response when faced with a problem larger than yourself? DO you choose to run away from it or do you choose to submit to God's will in your life?

Sometimes we ourselves become the Goliath in the path to recognize God. Our ego often takes precedence over God. But suddenly we remember that we are not bigger than our problems or our circumstances. We cannot gain victory over it. It is then that we falter. However God is bigger than all our problems. We need to conquer the Goliath to submit to God and we need to submit to God to conquer the Goliath.

When I read the story of David and Goliath I often try to not see this David as the future King of Israel. I try to see this kid who was supplying goods to his brother in the military. An adolescent in awe of the armour and the discipline that surrounded an army. Yes he had been anointed as the future King but what was a promise compared to the awe of royalty. Yet David was in awe of a greater royalty, the true King of Israel, the Lord God Almighty.

God was David's confidence in the fields where he watched the sheep and the same God was his hope now. He did not rely on Saul's heavy body armour for protection. David knew that the battle was not his. If he had gone into battle relying on sword and armour then the battle would depend on his power which was limited. So David chose the path of surrender to God.

So many times in life we feel defeated even before stepping into the battle zone. We fear defeat because we rely on our own strength which we already know is limited. When we pray we pray for our strength to be sufficient to overcome a situation. Very rarely do we allow God to take over our bodies to display His power through it, His glory through it. We cannot let go of the simple possessiveness over our own beings. Yet that is exactly what God wants of us.

Jesus explains in the Gospel of Matthews 16: 24 "If anyone would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

David managed to kill Goliath not with a single smooth stone but with the steadfast faith in the God who never fails. He denied his own strength and power and chose to look unto God. In that simple act of trust he defeated the Goliath within.