Do you know what I love about teaching children? What God teaches me in the process. I've been teaching the life of David to the kids at FBC Groom. And I must tell you, it's been exciting! Tonight I taught the story of David & Goliath. God gave us the stories in the Old Testament to relate to our own lives. They also foreshadow things in the New Testament. As I studied and prepared, I saw some things I hadn't seen before.
The story is in I Samuel 17. One of the first things I saw is that Goliath, fully armored, had a shield-bearer who went out before him. I'd never seen that before. I'm sure Goliath was strong. I mean...he was almost 10 feet tall! He yelled a lot, too. He used his size, his strength and his voice to taunt and intimidate. But he walked behind a shield-bearer. Interesting. What I told the kids tonight is that Satan wants us to believe he's a huge giant and he puts giant problems in our lives. But, like Goliath, he hides behind a shield-bearer. He sends his minions ahead of him. You see...he's afraid of our POWERFUL GOD!! He tests the waters to see if we're going to call on our ALL-MIGHTY GOD to fight for us! He knows he has no power over God. I've been thinking on this. Every time there was a challenge between God and the enemy, God said, "Yeah! I'll take that challenge!" When God was challenged, these men rose up to defend the name of God--David, Shadrach, Meschach, Abednego, Elijah, Moses--and God gave them victory.
Another thing I saw in the story was that David was the youngest of Jesse's sons. He was probably the youngest guy on the battlefield that day. Grown men, much older and stronger than David, should have been the ones stepping up to the plate and protecting David. I mean, come on! His three older brothers were there and all they did was try to send David home! But David believed. He knew the gauntlet had been thrown down to challenge God. "For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" David asked. I think honor rose up in him. Righteous anger! How dare this man defy God--giant or no giant! And David had been practicing. He'd killed a lion and a bear as he defended the sheep back home. He was skilled with a sling shot. And of course...God had His hand all over David to guide that stone to the middle of Goliath's forehead. Killed with one shot!
I reminded the kids tonight that we can be giant-slayers. The enemy talks loud, tries to scare us, and intimidate us. But mostly, he's trying to tell us our God's not big enough.
It was the first time I've taught a Bible story and had spontaneous applause and cheering for how God--through David--killed a GIANT!
1 comment:
WE studied David last year in CBS...one of my all time favorites and that study guided me into teaching it to the gkids at Grammie Camp. I loved what you shared and I too when studying it was shocked to stop at the little details that were truly big ones but we hadnt given them much credit in telling that story in the past or at least myself,,. The other verse I loved was when David says....You come with a sword and sheild but I come in the name of the Lord! That is just so powerful! And the part where Saul tries to get David to wear his armor! hah!!! They were all men with no spine. Loved that David was wise enough to see that someone elses armor wasnt going to be anything but a hindrance to him. When I taught 5th grade in BA...I was always amazed that I learned right along with those kids. Thanks for sharing ....love it!!!
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