Trust the Living God (1 Samuel 17:26)

And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
—1 Samuel 17:26

These are David’s words when he comes up and sees Goliath, who has totally intimidated the Israelite army as a Philistine giant. And David says, “Who does he think he is that he should defy the armies of …” And this is the key issue: “Of the living God.” This is the primary issue, and David knew it. Goliath wasn’t just defying an army and the Israelites; Goliath was defying God himself. David would have nothing of it. He’s basically saying, “Who does this guy think he is to be able to stand up, not to the powerful Israelite army, but to the army of the living God?”

If God is with his people, the Israelites, then this giant, no matter how big he is, no matter how strong he is, no matter how intimidating he is, there is no way that he can stand against God, and anyone God is with. David knew that the principal issue at stake here was not about a human battle between a giant and someone who would come out to fight him. Not even ultimately about a human battle between Philistines and Israelites. This was ultimately a battle about someone representing an army who is defying God himself.

1 Samuel 17:26 pictures courage rooted in the living God.

And all throughout Scripture we see that God works in and through people who trust his power and live for his glory. And this is exactly what we see here with 1 Samuel 17:26, in the battle between David and Goliath. David didn’t trust himself; he trusted in the power of God. And David wasn’t doing this to defend himself; he was ultimately doing this to defend the name of the living God.

And I just want to encourage you to live today in this same way. I want to live today in this way; I want to live trusting in God. Trusting in his Word, in his power, and his strength, and I want to live today for his glory. I want to live so that others know he is the living God, that he is the good and gracious God who gives eternal life to all who trust in him.

That he is a God who is trustworthy. He is a God whose glory no one or nothing in this world can compare with. He is a God whose beauty nothing or no one in this world can compare with. We pray, God, you alone are the living God. There is no one like you. In all the earth there is no one like you. And you are infinitely worthy of our trust, and you are infinitely worthy of all glory.

1 Samuel 17:26 teaches us to live with zeal for God’s glory.

We pray that you would help us to live with the same kind of zeal that David approached this situation with in 1 Samuel 17:26. God help us to approach every situation we face today trusting in you, trusting in your power, trusting in your strength, and God help us to approach every situation today, living for your glory. We pray that you would make your glory known, your grace known. God, we pray that you would use our lives today to glorify your name, to point people to who you are.

We pray for opportunities to share the gospel today. We pray for opportunities to share your grace, your salvation with others, that they might come to know you as the living God. God, we pray for our co-workers, we pray for our neighbors, we pray for family members, we pray for acquaintances we will meet today that we’re not even planning to meet, that we don’t even know who we will meet.

God, we pray that you would help us to be open to opportunities to point people to you. The living God today. To the eternal life that’s found in you today. Father, help us to trust in you as we face different challenges, trials, giants, so to speak, in front of us. God, help us to trust in you and your provision, for your glory. And God, we pray that you would make your glory known through us today in our lives.

A Prayer for the Sarki People in Nepal

We pray that you would make your glory known around the world today. God, we pray for these Sarki people in Nepal, 365,000 of them, 0.0% believing the gospel right now. No known believers among this people group in Nepal. Please God, make your glory known among them; you are the living God. They worship all kinds of other Hindu gods. Millions of gods. Lowercase ‘g’ gods that are not the one true living uppercase ‘g’ God who you are.

So God, please make your grace, your gospel, your glory known among them. Please use our lives, our churches to send out people, missionaries to them. We pray for other churches around Nepal and northern India in areas, regions around the Himalayas. There, God, please cause your gospel to go to them. That they might know you as the living God. We pray for this, for people around us, people around the world, people groups around the world, and particularly those who have yet to be reached by the gospel. Show yourself as the living God through our lives. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.