by Archdeacon Claire Phelps
Dear Family of St John’s
David faced a nine-foot-tall warrior with nothing but a slingshot… and somehow, that gives me hope.
I preached about David and Goliath this past Wednesday, and felt that I should share some of my thoughts with you in our newsletter.
We all know the story of David and Goliath. I’ve loved this story ever since I was a child in Sunday School – the little shepherd boy who takes on a nine-foot-tall giant and wins. Small kid. Massive warrior. Slingshot versus spear. Not exactly a fair fight, right?
Goliath was enormous. Armour from head to toe, weapons that sounded more like construction tools than battle gear, and a voice that could probably be heard across the valley. Every day he came out and shouted at Israel: “Send me a man to fight me!” And every day the Israelites cowered. I mean, I don’t blame them – I probably would have hidden behind a rock or two myself!
But David… David saw things differently.
And that really makes me ask myself – and maybe you too – how do we see our own Goliaths?
Because we all have them. Not nine-foot warriors, thankfully, but obstacles that feel just as impossible: money worries, health scares, work pressures, family tensions, bad habits, or just the way the world seems to be spinning out of control. Some days it feels like the news is just one big giant shouting at us, loudly!
When I look at my Goliaths, I can either see impossible obstacles, or a chance for God to show up in ways I couldn’t imagine. I think we all know which view usually makes life feel heavier.
The Israelites looked at Goliath and thought, “We’re doomed.”
David looked at Goliath and thought, “God is bigger than this.”
That’s the difference between living by sight – seeing only what’s in front of us – and living by faith – trusting God even when the problem feels enormous.
When we live by sight, fear takes over. We notice our own limitations, the size of the problem, the odds stacked against us. We make excuses:
“I’m too young.”
“I’m too old.”
“I don’t have the skills.”
“I’ve never done this before.”
Sound familiar? I know I’ve said all of those at one point or another.
But living by faith is different. Courage grows when we remember who God is. David didn’t pretend Goliath wasn’t huge – he just remembered that God was bigger.
And he remembered his own story. The remembered the times when God had helped him before. A lion. A bear. Moments when God gave him the skill and strength to protect the sheep. Those stories gave him confidence: “The same God who helped me then is still with me now.”
I have my own “lion and bear” stories – moments when God showed up in ways I didn’t expect. And thinking about those times reminds me that the same God is with me today, and with you too. Those stories aren’t just nostalgia; they’re fuel for courage when a giant shows up.
Another important thing about David’s story, is that he refused to use Saul’s armour. It didn’t fit. He wasn’t comfortable in it. He stayed true to who God made him to be – a shepherd boy with a slingshot and five smooth stones. I have to admit, I chuckle when I try to picture him running out there in full armour – all clanking around like a toddler in dad’s boots!
But that’s kind of what we look like when we try to be who we’re not – when we hanker after the skills or gifting that other people have, and ignore our God-given resources and skills.
And then – the crucial part – David acted.
Faith isn’t just thinking or praying. Faith has to move. There comes a moment when we stop staring at the giant and start stepping forward with God.
David’s words still ring true today: “The battle belongs to the Lord.”
Not ours. Not yours. Not mine. God’s.
David says in 1 Samuel 17:45, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty…”
I get goosebumps when I read these verses… every time I read them. There is such great power in calling on the name of God. In declaring that God is fighting this battle, that I’m not relying on human strength or wisdom.
So, here’s my challenge for us this year:
• What Goliaths are you facing?
• Where are you tempted to run or hide?
• What step of courage is God asking you to take?
And here’s my encouragement:
You are not alone.
You are not too small.
You are not forgotten.
And the God who helped you before is still with you now.
So don’t just stare at the giant.
Don’t just talk about the problem.
Pick up your stones.
Remember your stories.
Trust your God.
Take the next brave step.
Because the battle – the really big one – has always been the Lord’s.
With love
Your friend and rector,
Claire