[One-Verse Meditation]

1 Samuel 17:11 (NIV) On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

[Meditation]

Between the two camps of the Philistines and Israel, the giant champion Goliath steps forward. He proposes a one-on-one duel to prevent wasting troops. His height was over 290 cm (9’6″), and the weight of his armor alone was 57 kg (125 lbs), so his confidence must have seemed to pierce the sky. At his shout, taunting the armies of Israel, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

Here we see an Israel still captivated by “what is visible.” They had made Saul their king based on the standard of what was “good in their own eyes,” because of his exceptional height and outstanding appearance. But their king, Saul, was helpless before Goliath, a man of overwhelming appearance. He could not step forward for fear of death.

This scene mirrors our own inner selves. We too look at the world through the lens of what is “good in our eyes.” We become infatuated with it and swayed by it. Then, standing before the Word, we see ourselves for who we are. That is a place of grace. Because we have confronted our own state, we can finally lay down our own thoughts and plans. That place of self-denial is the very place where we worship God.

Worship is impossible without our own brokenness. Worship without self-denial is merely a form of self-satisfaction. That is not faith. True faith is when the “unseen God” takes His place in the heart that desires “what is seen.” A walk of faith is to step forward, seeing Him. Of course, we will soon glance around again. But each time, the “zeal of God,” which turns us back to Him, takes hold of us.

[Prayer]

Lord, thank you for holding onto me when my heart is set on worldly things, and for filling me with Yourself. May my life today also be a time of fully enjoying that life. Amen.
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[Daily Meditation]

1 Samuel 16:17-17:11