Tackling the Giants

Take a look at the television schedule, the Twitter feeds, or the daily newspapers.  If you haven’t noticed already, football season is in full swing.  Everyone is rooting for their favorite team.  Whether or not you are an avid football fan or not, I want you to consider the fact that life is a lot like a football game.  We run interference, we may even fumble the ball, but with God’s help, we will ultimately find ourselves on the winning team.   And before we victoriously make every touchdown, we can rest assured that God will help us tackle the giants we encounter along the way.

David knew firsthand that God would help His children overcome the giants in our lives.  And in his case, he went up against a real, live giant named Goliath.   Other people doubted this young man’s ability to defeat Goliath, but David knew that God was on his side.  David said, “‘The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine’” (I Samuel 17:37).  David didn’t read a book on how to slay a giant.  He didn’t Google what weapons he needed to attempt to fight such an enormous man.  He simply relied on God to provide a way when there seemed to be no way.  David knew in his heart that all things are possible with God.

Moses encountered a similar problem.  He needed to lead a large number of people to the other side of the Red Sea.  There was one major problem though.  They did not have even one boat.  There wasn’t a large bridge spanning the distance either.  To make matters worse, they were being pursued by the Egyptians, so time was of the essence.  Moses turned the problem over the God, and raised his hand.  The Bible says, “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided” (Exodus 14:21).  Moses didn’t use his GPS to find the nearest ferry station or use his cell phone to call 911.  He put his trust in the One who is able to do abundantly more than we could ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

David and Moses are not the only ones who have faced giants in their lives.  I have encountered my share of trials and tribulations as well.  When I was little, my two baby brothers passed away as infants.  At ten years of age, I lost my first grandparent.  Since then, I have lost three of my grandparents.  I’ve spent months in the hospital, including the weeks when I was born premature and lifeless and the weeks I nearly lost my life when I was a teenager due to a perforated colon.  Most recently, I lost my Mama.  This was the most difficult thing I have ever had to face.  But through it all, one thing has never wavered.  That is my faith in Jesus Christ.

Life is not always easy.  The news is filled with giants that threaten our health, our finances, our environment, and so much more.  But even with the uncertainty in the world, I find sweet rest in the fact that Jesus is always with us.  He will see us through.  I am reminded of a song I sing with the Florida Worship Choir and Orchestra: “No matter the storms that come my way, No matter the trials I may face, You promised that You would see me through.  So, I will trust in You.”  I do not put my trust in secular entities, religious and political figures, or any other thing on this earth.  I put my trust in Jesus Christ, the Truth, the Life, and the Way.  He is the only hope we have in this world.

What or who is the giant in your life?  Is it a pile of financial burdens or a severe illness that has you bedridden?  Could it be a job that has you overstressed?  Perhaps it is a friend or family member who constantly torments you with negativity.  Whatever circumstances you may find yourself in, rest assured that God is with you.  He is aware of the giant you face.  Just as he provided David with smooth stones and a slingshot, Moses with a staff, and me with peace in many heartbreaking and uncertain situations, He will also provide you with the means to face your giants.  Put your trust in Jesus Christ.  He will restore your joy, fill your heart with peace, and help you tackle the giants in your life!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

From Impossible To Possible!

Have you ever wanted to tell God no? Has there ever been a time when He was leading you to do something, but you simply had no confidence in your ability to pull it off? Perhaps He wanted you to face your fears and speak in front of a large crowd. Or it could be that He asked you to volunteer your time to help those in need, time you didn’t have to spare. And He may have asked you to minister to someone while you were simultaneously going through a trial of your own. Although it may not always be easy, we need to follow God’s guidance in every aspect of our lives. We need to be willing vessels. As the song sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir says, “If you can use anything Lord, you can use me.” God can use us, right where we are, if we are willing to give our lives to Him. By trusting Him fully, we will experience the abundant life that He has promised us, assertively living our lives with the knowledge that all things are possible with God.

If you have ever had the desire to tell God no, don’t be downhearted. You’re in good company. We read in God’s Word of how Moses essentially told God no. God came to him one day and told him to speak to a large group of Egyptians. Moses immediately responded by telling God to “‘send someone else’” (Exodus 4:13 NIV). He makes a lot of excuses, saying that he has never been an eloquent speaker and that he is “‘slow of speech and tongue’” (Exodus 4:10 NIV). In the end, Moses’ brother Aaron traveled with him and did most of his talking for him. While things went okay at first, Aaron caused Moses quite a bit of trouble, even fashioning a golden idol in the image of a calf when Moses was up on the mountain (see Exodus 32:1-6 NIV). Surely this was not good publicity for Moses’ ministry, having his brother put up an idol that the people began to worship, instead of worshiping the one true God whom Moses and Aaron were there to preach to them about. But many of the problems associated with the partnership of Aaron and Moses could possibly have been avoided if Moses had not said no to God.

Think about it. What if Moses had said yes to God? What if he had put aside his fears concerning public speaking and being in front of a large group of people? What if he had fully trusted the God who created him? Moses was afraid and felt ill-prepared and inadequate. But God said, “‘I will help you speak and will teach you what to say’” (Exodus 4:12 NIV). God was on his side, but Moses let his fears get in the way. While we will never know what might have happened if Moses had said yes, it is a good opportunity for us to examine our own lives.

Let’s take a look at Newton’s third law of motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. While we are not talking about forces emitted on particular objects, the same theory applies. Everything we do impacts our future. Every decision we make can have a negative or a positive outcome. Saying no to God or saying yes to God can have a negative or positive impact on our lives. He knows the outcome no matter our decision, but He gives us the freedom to choose the direction our lives will go.

What about you? Has God called you to do something, yet you have repeatedly told him no? Has He placed a burden on your heart to minister to others who are sick, help collect food for the less fortunate, or travel to a foreign mission field? Maybe He has simply called you to help out in your local church, visit the home-bound and hospitalized members of your church, or call someone to encourage them during a difficult time in their life. Or has He called you to fervently pray every day for your family, your friends, your church, your community, your nation, or even the world? Whatever your calling is, don’t tell God no. He knows that you can handle the task. Just as He helped Moses, God will give you the tools you need to be successful. He is more than enough! As the Bible clearly states, “‘with God all things are possible’” (Matthew 19:26 NIV). So the next time God asks you to do something, go forth boldly and say, “Yes, Lord!” Then reap the blessings you encounter as God makes the impossible possible!

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer