Good Lord: A 5-Day Devotional From David LeonardSample

I Know You Won’t Stop Now

Then David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

– 1 Samuel 17:37

Young David’s show of bravery in facing a terrifying giant is one of the most notable and retold stories of the Bible. It is one of the first Bible stories children learn as a lesson about faith and courage against all odds. As we get older, we may begin to read it metaphorically in terms of the giants in our lives and finding the courage to stand up to them. And those lessons are certainly helpful and compelling aspects of faith, but we should be careful not to miss the truth of today’s verse—God’s goodness in the past proves His continued goodness in the present and future.

David didn’t approach King Saul thinking he had something to prove. He wasn’t hoping to one-up his brothers or anyone else. He wasn’t trying to work his way up any social or professional ladder. He simply saw a need and believed in God’s goodness to meet that need. The fact is Goliath and his army stood against God’s purpose and will for His people. There was simply no question in David’s mind and heart about joining God in that purpose and will. God had already proven His goodness to David, rescuing him from giant animals who meant to overcome him and had strength like Goliath to do so. God had shown His goodness, and David had marked those events in his heart as an Ebenezer. That memory led him to believe God’s goodness wouldn’t end in the present moment.

It's easy to forget God's goodness for fear of our present or future circumstances. But when we look back, remembering those markers where God has proven His goodness, it’s hard not to be thankful and assured of His goodness in the present. When we look back, we see God was always there. He has always met our needs, and He won’t stop now.

·What do you need to rely on God for right now? Based on David’s example, how can you do that?

·God is always good, and at the same time, there are other faithful believers in the Bible whose lives ended in ways we wouldn’t expect (Acts 7:54-60). How do both outcomes—1 Samuel 17 and Acts 7—show God’s goodness? That He never lets us down?

·Ask God to remind you of His goodness in the past and to give you the courage to trust Him completely in the present, no matter your circumstances.