David vs. Goliath

It’s March Madness Baby!! This year in the Men’s college basketball tournament, #15 ranked Norfolk State upset a remarkable #2 Missouri in the first round.  Later that night, another unknown #15 ranked Lehigh upset the #2 powerhouse Duke. While I was watching, it was hard not to cheer for the underdogs even though it would destroy my bracket and everyone else’s.  

Just how I find myself rooting for the underdog in sports, I root for the underdog in the popular Bible story of David and Goliath. If you think about it, this story is by far the ultimate underdog story. David was just a shepherd who was still in his youth. He was not even old enough to be in the Israelite army. With just a sling shot and no armor, David kills a 9 foot 9 inch giant in the perfect spot. I don’t know about you, but I sure would like to have the courage that David did. 

One of my favorite parts of this story is how David attacked the battlefield and Goliath. In verse 48 it says “David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.” I believe this part is so important and can easily be used in our lives. When we are faced with conflict, we tend to want to run and hide. I pray that God will let us have the faith and courage to run quickly and attack the battlefield just as David did. In today’s world, Christians are hard to come by. We are now the underdog. But thank God, he is on our side! 

- Layton Hargesheimer

Samuel & Saul

Have you ever watched the reality show called “Undercover Boss”?  It is about a CEO of a big company that goes to work on the front lines with his employees.  The TV show picks out people for the CEO to work with.  The employees do not have the best jobs and it just feels like they are searching for something that they have lost.  Some are as nice and as happy as can be and others are depressed and sad and are not sure why they are working where they are.  Then the CEO works with these people and learns about these people.  The CEO gets to the heart of these people and figures out who they are and what their struggles are.  At the end of the show he meets with the employees and changes their lives.  The employees have no clue, but they are blessed by what the CEO gives them. And they are very humbled because they don’t deserve the gift but it is given to them anyways.  They woke up one morning going to work and then they left work speechless.

This story reminds me of the story of Saul and Samuel.  Saul was tall, handsome and well built.  Kish, his father, had donkeys that strayed away so Kish had Saul and a servant go search for the donkeys.  I can just imagine Saul searching for these donkeys for at least a week or more.  Saul began to think of returning home because they had been away for a long time and he feared that his father would be anxious for their safety.  The servant believed it would be a good idea to go see a wise man that lived in a city nearby.  His name was Samuel.  Now Samuel knew about Saul because the Lord had told Samuel that he would send him a man from the Land of Benjamin to be the captain and king of all the people of Israel.  Samuel invited Saul to eat with him.  Saul was puzzled because he could not understand the honor that was being bestowed upon him, but Samuel gave him no chance to protest.  The next morning Samuel anointed Saul and led him before all the people and proclaimed him the new king.

The reason I compare these two stories is just like the employees that wake up and go to work every day searching for something, Saul also got up and left his house searching for something.  The employees that are on this show think this is just a normal day and they don’t feel like anything amazing will happen to them.  Saul goes to search for some donkeys that have been lost and does not think anything amazing is going to happen to him.  A CEO comes along and changes somebody’s whole life.  Samuel comes along and changes Saul's life by making him King.  The employees are so puzzled because they do not understand the honor that is being bestowed upon them, but the CEO gives them no chance to protest - just as Saul was so puzzled because he could not understand the honor that he was given, but Samuel gave him no chance to protest.

Are you the person that is out there searching for a change?  Your change may be right in front of you and you are scared to take that chance of letting go and letting God take control.  Someone may want to help but you are not willing to let them help you. Someone may be Samuel trying to change your life.  Let them change your life.

Or are you the CEO?  Do you search for those moments when you see someone in desperate need of help, knowing they are in search of it and you can change their life for the better?  Does God ever tell you to make someone feel like a king?

You may be the CEO and the searcher is sitting right next to you.  Don’t let the opportunity slip away.

- Michael Owen

Gideon

I don't know about you, but I am all too eager to judge the Israelites when I read about their time wandering in the desert, making false idols and turning away from God. He sent them sign after sign of His sovereignty and yet they still couldn't seem to get their act together? Really!? But then I think about the context of my own life and realize I am guilty of all the same offenses. I listen to my fear and act out of selfishness rather than living from a place of hope and trust. I place other things above God in hopes that they will fill my temporary needs and I lose sight of how truly faithful God is.

In the New Testament, Gideon is referred to as a man of faith (Hebrews 11:32-33), but even Gideon had his questions and doubt. He asked God for 3 signs of affirmation as if to say "God, are you really sure you want me to do this?" Through this I am reminded that God is patient with our questions but ultimately calls us to act out of faith. I read something recently that said "We don't measure faith by figuring out what we believe is true, but by asking if we're any different because of it." How true! Gideon wasn't faithful because he said he trusted God, he was faithful because he actively participated in God's plan and lived from a place of trust rather than fear.

When I read the story of Gideon, I can't help but think, "what idols is God asking me to rid myself of?" or "what Midianites and Amalekites is God wanting to conquer in my own life?" My hope and prayer is that I am willing to trust God and participate in His plan, knowing that He is willing to prove His faithfulness in my life even when I question Him. I want to make the choice everyday to live not from fear, complacency or selfishness like the Israelites, but from a place of active, intentional and authentic faith.

 - Addie Boone

Ruth

Being a single, young college student, when I first read Ruth I thought it was simply about a young woman who stayed faithful to her mother-in-law and was blessed by God. So my intentions were to stay faithful to God in hopes that I would find a wonderful, financially blessed man; of course I was all in. Then I read it again and again and again and one last time. Thank the Lord, or Ruth, that it was only a few chapters long. I’m so glad that I read it 5 times because each time I learned more and more.

I had so many different views of what Ruth was about, especially when I tried to apply it to my life. I’m an extremely wordy type of person, so God and I communicate through words and stories. Was he trying to tell me that my future husband is going to die?! Or maybe I would have to stick by my best friend’s side so we could have a wonderful blessing in the end? Then I realized that it honestly had nothing to do with my future husband or even my best friend. It had everything to do with God himself.

Throughout all of Naomi and Ruth’s friendship, Ruth trusted Naomi with basically her entire life. Ruth had the open opportunity of leaving Naomi, but chose to stay with her. God does this same thing with us. Nowhere in the bible or anywhere known does it say that God makes us stay with him. Free will is always an option, but hopefully we choose to follow and trust him.  Naomi gives countless examples of how God is with us. She tells Ruth where to go so that she can find food and she tells her what to do when she finds Boaz, in hopes that she would get married. Ruth never doubted for a second the intentions of Naomi because she trusted her with everything.

I believe that’s how God wants us to be - trusting him so much that we would give up our time, energy and even the thought of not going back to your friends and family, so that we may have the best life he has planned for us. I want to strive to be like Ruth every day, especially if it means finding MY Boaz.

- Jarren Templeton