Scripture Union Discovery Devotional January 18, 2018 – The Paralysis of Fear
OPENING PRAYER
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?” (Psa. 27:1a). I make this my prayer of praise today.
Read 1 SAMUEL 17:1–27 (New International Version (NIV)
1 Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah.
2 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.
3 The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.
4 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.
5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels;
6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.
7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.
9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.”
10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.”
11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old.
13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah.
14 David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul,
15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.
17 Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp.
18 Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them.
19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”
20 Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry.
21 Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other.
22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were.
23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it.
24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.
25 Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.”
26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”
Reflect – YOU NEED FEAR NOTHING AND NO ONE AS YOU COME INTO GOD’S PRESENCE. HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
The Israelite and Philistine armies were lined up against each other, in a stalemate. Sometimes a champion fighter challenged the enemy side to a duel. Accepting the challenge was not compulsory, but failing to do so was psychologically damaging. Such tactics of intimidation paralyzed the Israelites (24). Goliath was hugely impressive. His words were threatening. What hope was there?
Unlike in earlier skirmishes, the battleground was closer to Israel’s Philistine border. Maybe the Philistines were on the defensive. Yet King Saul and his commanders showed little strategy or leadership. What’s more, they had lost confidence in their status as armies of the Living God (26). Onto the scene comes David, not old enough to be a soldier but shuttling between his father’s sheep and musically soothing the king. He immediately grasps Goliath’s offensive challenge, not just to God’s armies, but also to God himself.
There are many causes of fear in our unstable world: terrorism, the pace of change, death, the unknown. David’s response is inspirational. He wants to know the facts (26). He is all for taking risks but, most importantly, he knows the protective strength of the Almighty.
APPLY
Read Psalm 27. Consider your own troubles and claim the assurances in this psalm as your own.
CLOSING PRAYER
Use the words of Psalm 27:1 as you acknowledge before Almighty God your own fears, which may or may not be paralyzing.
