While I was reading the Bible this morning with my son, I opened up to 1 Samuel 17 and began to read the story of David and Goliath. I am sure most of you are familiar with this story, but for those of you who are not it is about a young man, David who fights a giant named Goliath, and wins despite the fact that Goliath had a sword, armor and was much bigger than David. You see David didn’t need a sword or spear or physical armor because he had God. He was able to kill Goliath with a single stone and sling shot because he had the Lord there fighting for him.
As I was reading I looked up and there were huge crocodile tears rolling down my sons face.. at first I wondered if it was because he was sad someone died (he is super sensitive to death, even if it’s the bad guy” who dies) but when I asked him why he was crying he just looked back at me with more tears, and said “because David must have been very scared”. I asked him if he ever felt like that and he shook his head yes, and then whispered “on the bus”. My heart ached but I knew we needed to talk about this more, and he was finally ready to do so. When I asked him who Goliath was in his life he said the bus drivers name. As much as this sent rage through my veins, I knew this wasnt the time to show that. I held his hand and told him that just like David, he has God on his side, and that although there may have been this scary giant standing in front of him, trying to take him down, God never left his side that day on the bus. He looked up at me with such hope, and sincerity. He said ” I know, I couldn’t hear him that day, but I know he was there.” That moment made me truly realize what “Faith of a child” really meant. I also knew that this story was just as much for me, as it was for him. I knew I had to remember God was in control of this situation, and he truly was there with my son that day. I know that some times we wonder where God was, or why God allowed these types of situations to happen. Trust me, this has kept me up many nights. But through really searching and praying, and finding this battle is not yet done, he has shown me all the ways he was there that day. He was there when a little girl ran to my baby boy, comforting him, even though everyone else on that bus laughed at him or ignored the fact that he sat there crying hysterically in his seat. God showed me he was there when the transportation director admitted to being able to hear and see everything that happened that day because of the tapes on the bus. He was there when my sweet boy got off the bus and fell into my arms, he knew before he even gave me my little man, that he would need me standing there at the end of that driveway each day, and allowed me to be there to do that.
God also showed me he will get us through this battle but that we needed to remember to put on our armor each and every day. So today, and each day forward, I will be putting on my armor, Gods armor. I will teach my kids that they have a helmet stronger than any man-made helmet ,that will protect them from the harmful words and lies thrown their way, it’s called the helmet of salvation. I will teach them they have a belt, made out of the unbreakable material. This belt will strap their armor tight to them, because it is made up of truths. Their hearts will be protected by a shatterproof breastplate, the breastplate of righteousness. I will also teach them they have the most amazing shoes upon feet that make them ready for battle. These shoes don’t care how perfect you walk, or how quick or slow you go, they are ready, at any time to protect you and bring you to peace. And most importantly, I will teach them they have a sword and a shield. An indestructible sword. A sword that is the Lord’s word. And a shield that will be the hardest piece of armor to hang on to during certain battles, but will be the piece that protects them the most when held on to tightly. This is the shield of faith. This armor is the only armor they will ever need in life. The armor of God will give them better protection than any metal shield and iron sword could ever offer.
Today, parents I pray you put that same armor on your kids. As they go out to battle each and every day, I pray they know they are not alone, because as we see with David and Goliath, without God, the enemy will find the one unprotected spot to take you down, just as David was able to do when he hit Goliath in the forhead with that single stone.
XO ♥Nicole
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine andkilled him.
It’s All so true…well said
Thank you Char!! xoxo