Three things I've been doing while stuck in quarantine:
1. Watching Hulu/Netflix.
2. Finishing up finals projects/papers.
3. Spilling coffee.
and of those three, two of them have to do with this devo tonight:
A TV series from Hulu you might know called Lost, and a paper I just finished writing about another story you may also know; David and Goliath.
Every morning since I left college and came back home, I've felt all kinds of things. But the one thing that never changes (aside from the current crappy situation) is a sign that has been hanging on my bedroom wall for the past few years.
Jesus replied, "You don't understand what I'm doing, but someday, you will."
John 13:7
Some of us are easily settled with a verse like that from Scripture, and others of us (such as myself) are going CRAZY with our parents, our siblings, our kids, our families, our friends, and God tells us to, "Be still, and know that HE is God."
I have felt lost, and only because we all are simply just that: Lost.
In the ABC series Lost, there are a great number of survivors from a plane crash that end up stranded on an island. Long story short, and without spoiling it for you, some of the characters want the heck off of the island ASAP, and the rest of them are trying to live with their current situation not knowing when they will be rescued or make their way off the island on their own.
Well, just like that, the Israelites were completely lost when Goliath stepped foot in the valley of Elah with his 125 pound armor and 15 pound spear. The big fella demanded someone step up to the plate and take him on in hand-to-hand combat, just like any action-adventure movie ends: one long fighting scene that could've been over in 1 bullet, 1 arrow, or better yet, one stone.
The shepherd boy did just that. He had faith in God, and his faith was far beyond his fear. He looked up at Goliath and yelled, "All those 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.” (1 Samuel 17:47).
And by obeying God, not knowing what would happen next, he sent that giant to the ground and proceeded to do what Veggietales never told us: he sliced his head off and held it up for all to see.
Pretty gross.
BUT THAT IS JUST IT!!!
No, not the beheading of the giant, but the words that David spoke:
The battle is not fought by sword or spear, or in our times, with guns and money.
The battle is the Lord's, meaning that every battle we fight is ultimately in the hands of the Creator.
And HE, only God, can and will give ALL into our hands.
This corona-crap is a BATTLE, heck, it's a WAR! And the only way we're taking down this Goliath of a virus is knowing that God has it taken care of.
No, we can't see the virus and capture it like a butterfly in a net, but we can sure as heck pray and be obedient when we see we can do something to help.
We can do things like get out of our house and go get dinner from a local business to help those small-business families that just might be living paycheck to paycheck.
And we can wake up every morning in our pajamas, sweats, and yoga pants knowing that God has this all under control.
God is not CNN. God is not Fox News, and God is not lost like the rest of us.
He is at work in the lives of those around us. He is at work in our hearts as we struggle to sit still and try to find ways to get off of the islands or homes we currently are stuck at, and HE has got the whole world in his hands.
One last thing I want you to remember for this week is something David wrote after slaying Goliath and becoming king of Israel:
Psalm 94:11, 13, 14, and 19
(11) The Lord knows all human plans; He knows that they are futile.
(13) You grant them relief from trouble,
(14) For the Lord will NOT reject His people, He will never forsake His inheritance.
(19) When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.
God's power is made perfect in our weakness.
When we are weak, He is strong.
BREAK FREE this week from the giants that you fear.
If the giant is telling you that you'll never see your loved ones ever again, BREAK FREE!
If the giant is telling you your marriage might not work out, or your relationship isn't going to work, BREAK FREE!
If the giant is telling you that you're nothing to anyone, BREAK FREE!
If the giant is telling you that money is going to be what brings you down, BREAK FREE!
Nothing is going to bring you down because God is unstoppable. He created David, He created Goliath, He created you, me, and all of our battles we'll ever face, and He's not leaving us till we come home to see Him forevermore.
- Britt