Author: Max Lucado
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, 2006
Genre: Theological
Page Count: 229
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, 2006
Genre: Theological
Page Count: 229
Overview: How many of us have giants in our lives? Yours may be a failing marriage, wayward children, debt, bad grades, addiction, or something else that plagues your life.
David ran toward his giant and slew him. I don’t remember ever running toward a giant – I have faced them, or I have run away from them, but never toward them. When David faced Goliath, he turned it over to God and knowing that God was in control, he had the courage to run toward him and slay him in Jesus’ name.
What Bible-believing Christian hasn’t heard that David was a man after God’s own heart?
Why was he called this by God Himself? David consulted God at all times, when times were good and when times were bad. David prayed to God about everything. In 1 Samuel 13:14 the Bible says, “…the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart…” and in Acts 13:22,
“…I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.”
The following are things that David learned through his life. Some he learned the hard way and some he learned through his many consults with his Lord.
- Enemies. See your enemies, not as God’s failures, but as God’s projects. God will exact punishment in a much better way than we ever could. Vengeance is His job. Leave your enemies in His hands. 1 Samuel 24:12; Rom 12:19; 1 Pet 2:23
- Rest. Are you weary? Catch your breath. Are you strong? Reserve passing judgment on the tired. In 1 Samuel 30:23-24, David said they stayed with the supplies as if this had been their job. David had several men who had wanted to take a rest. The other men who went on and fought a battle while these stayed behind may have felt evil against them, but David made what they did look okay in the eyes of these other men.
- Bitterness. Linger too long in the stench of your hurt, and you’ll smell like the toxin
you despise. Everyone knows that when you hang around a certain crowd, you begin to be like them. The same is true if you wallow in your pain, you begin to be more like your pain. Eventually less people will want to be around you because you are no longer a pleasant person. - Thoughts. Two types of thoughts continually vie for your attention. One proclaims God’s strengths; the other lists your failures. One longs to build you up; the other seeks to tear you down. And you get to select the voice you want to hear. Why listen to the mockers….when you can, with the same ear, listen to the voice of God?
- Sin. God will not let you rest until you do what David did: confess your fault. God takes your sleep, your peace, your rest. Want to know why? Because He wants to take away your sin. 2 Samuel 12:13a tells us to place our mistake before the judgment seat of God. Let Him condemn it, let Him pardon it, and put it away.
- Counsel. You have a Bible? Read it! You have a family of faith? Consult it! The God who guided David will guide you. Find refuge in God’s presence. Find comfort in His people. The best way to find the comfort you need is to seek God. No one can comfort you the way God can, but the best earthly friends are good Christian people. So first, find your comfort in God and second, find your comfort in His people.
- Family. On your wedding day, God loaned you His work of art: an intricately crafted,
precisely formed masterpiece. Children spell love with four letters: T-I-M-E. David did everything else right, but he failed at his family. He had 8 different wives, plus a number of concubines. He had children by many of these different women and then
he seemed to just let the women raise the children while he did his own thing. Next to God, your family is the most important area of your life. A husband should make his wife the object of his highest devotion. A wife should make her husband the recipient of her deepest passion. Parents should cherish the children who share their name.
Positives: This book had many positives about facing the problems in our lives and how to deal with them. We need to look to the God of the Bible, just like David did.
Negatives: Something that made this book hard for me to read was that the Bible references were not written in the King James Version. Since I will not read a Bible verse that is not written in KJV, I had to look up numerous verses. Normally, referencing the Bible would be a positive, but in this case it made for many verses to find.
Other Books by the author: You'll Get Through This: Hope and Help for Your Turbulent Times; When God's Story Becomes Your Story; Shaped by Grace; He Did This Just for You; And the Angels Were Silent: The Final Week of Jesus; One God, One Plan, One Life; Give It All to Him: A Story of New Beginnings; Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear; The Oak
Inside the Acorn; The Applause of Heaven; He Chose the Nails; The Applause of Heaven: Discover the Secret to a Truly Satisfying Life
Final Words: Everyone longs for one true friend. As a Christian, we all have that one true friend in Christ. So do you worry about the malice of your monster giant? Or do you think
on the kindness of your Creator? Jesus Christ is the friend when no one else is. “…there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Prov 18:24
Focus on giants – you stumble; Focus on God – your giants tumble. Never give up. You might get knocked down the first time or two. Life is not about how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up.
Write today’s worries in sand. Chisel yesterday’s victories in stone. Peace is promised to the one who fixes his thoughts and desires on the King. “Thou wilt keephim in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3