Facing a Giant
Worship
Bright Intervals
40 Brief Worship Services and Meditations for Any Occasion
Object:
Greeting and Call To Worship
God is our refuge and strength, and a very present help in time of trouble! Therefore, we will not be afraid!
Opening Prayer
O God, our help in ages past and our hope for years to come, we give thanks for your Living Presence with us in all that we face each day. Sometimes our fears overwhelm us, and our burdens seem greater than we can bear. God of grace, remind us this day that we can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Lord's Prayer
Special Hymn
"How Firm A Foundation"
When he left the presidency, Andrew Jackson retired to his famous home, the Hermitage, where his many friends often came to visit. On one such occasion, General Jackson said to a local clergyman, "There is a beautiful hymn on the subject of the exceeding great and precious promises of God to us. It was a favorite hymn of my dear wife till the day of her death. It commences: 'How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord.' I wish you would sing it now." And so, to please the ex-president, his guests joined in singing this hymn. Although this hymn has been a favorite in America since it appeared in 1787, its authorship is unknown. However, its strong message has brought courage to the hearts of all who sing it.
Scripture Reading
1 Samuel 17:37-50
Meditation
Everyone knows and loves this old story of David, the young shepherd boy, and his encounter with the Philistine giant, Goliath. But is this just a colorful story from Hebrew history, or can we learn something about facing the giants in our own lives -- those obstacles that seem larger than life itself? Our giants, our Goliaths, are not those we meet on a battlefield, but in our doctor's office, or with a phone call in the middle of the night. Our giants take the form of cancer, heart failure, divorce, grief, crushing disappointment, fear, and loss. What can we learn from this old story about facing our giants?
Certainly one obvious truth is the need to face our fears head-on. A lot of us are really good in the crisis moments about saying, "Lord, I want you to use me -- especially in an advisory capacity!" But we learn from David that facing up to our giants is the first step in disarming their power over us.
A second truth we can take from this old story is the incredible energy that flows into our lives when we take a stand for that which is good and right. David found great courage in facing his giant, because he believed what he was doing was for the glory of God. Kipling once wrote, "There is only one thing more terrible in battle than a regiment of desperadoes, and that is a company of Scotch Presbyterians who rise from their knees and go into action, convinced that they are about to do the will of God!"
A third truth we can take from this story is the necessity of being yourself as you face your giant. King Saul wanted young David to wear his heavy armor in facing Goliath, but David knew that trying to look like a soldier was not being true to who he really was -- a shepherd boy armed with a sling and the power of God. I saw a bumper sticker that said, "God made you, and God knew what He was doing." That is another way of saying, "Be yourself when you go forth to battle a giant."
But the most important truth in this old story is David's trust in God. Listen again to what young David says to mighty Goliath: "You come to me with sword and spear, but I come to you in the name of the Lord!" That was the secret of David's courage and strength -- the trust in God's power that had sustained him through all of his life. Most of you will remember the radio show that featured George Burns and his wife, Gracie Allen. In real life, Gracie Allen was a bright, wise businesswoman who shared a wonderful life with her husband George. But often in their comic routines she played the part of a ditsy personality whose sweetly simple approach to life provided many laughs.
In one episode Gracie became very upset because her electric clock kept losing time. So Gracie called a repairman who almost immediately discovered the problem -- Gracie's electric clock was not plugged into the outlet! When he told Gracie the problem, she said, "Oh, I know that! I didn't want to waste electricity, so I only plug it in when I want to know what time it is!" A lot of people forget that the resources of God are only there when we are plugged in each day to the Living God. David's whole life was one of faithfulness and trust in the Lord. That's the firm foundation we all need as we face our giants.
Closing Prayer
O God of power and might, we turn to you as we face the giants in all of our lives. May we, like David of old, find the strength, the courage, and the wisdom we need to be victorious. We pray in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Benediction
To you, O God, be all glory and praise, both now and forevermore. Amen.
God is our refuge and strength, and a very present help in time of trouble! Therefore, we will not be afraid!
Opening Prayer
O God, our help in ages past and our hope for years to come, we give thanks for your Living Presence with us in all that we face each day. Sometimes our fears overwhelm us, and our burdens seem greater than we can bear. God of grace, remind us this day that we can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Lord's Prayer
Special Hymn
"How Firm A Foundation"
When he left the presidency, Andrew Jackson retired to his famous home, the Hermitage, where his many friends often came to visit. On one such occasion, General Jackson said to a local clergyman, "There is a beautiful hymn on the subject of the exceeding great and precious promises of God to us. It was a favorite hymn of my dear wife till the day of her death. It commences: 'How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord.' I wish you would sing it now." And so, to please the ex-president, his guests joined in singing this hymn. Although this hymn has been a favorite in America since it appeared in 1787, its authorship is unknown. However, its strong message has brought courage to the hearts of all who sing it.
Scripture Reading
1 Samuel 17:37-50
Meditation
Everyone knows and loves this old story of David, the young shepherd boy, and his encounter with the Philistine giant, Goliath. But is this just a colorful story from Hebrew history, or can we learn something about facing the giants in our own lives -- those obstacles that seem larger than life itself? Our giants, our Goliaths, are not those we meet on a battlefield, but in our doctor's office, or with a phone call in the middle of the night. Our giants take the form of cancer, heart failure, divorce, grief, crushing disappointment, fear, and loss. What can we learn from this old story about facing our giants?
Certainly one obvious truth is the need to face our fears head-on. A lot of us are really good in the crisis moments about saying, "Lord, I want you to use me -- especially in an advisory capacity!" But we learn from David that facing up to our giants is the first step in disarming their power over us.
A second truth we can take from this old story is the incredible energy that flows into our lives when we take a stand for that which is good and right. David found great courage in facing his giant, because he believed what he was doing was for the glory of God. Kipling once wrote, "There is only one thing more terrible in battle than a regiment of desperadoes, and that is a company of Scotch Presbyterians who rise from their knees and go into action, convinced that they are about to do the will of God!"
A third truth we can take from this story is the necessity of being yourself as you face your giant. King Saul wanted young David to wear his heavy armor in facing Goliath, but David knew that trying to look like a soldier was not being true to who he really was -- a shepherd boy armed with a sling and the power of God. I saw a bumper sticker that said, "God made you, and God knew what He was doing." That is another way of saying, "Be yourself when you go forth to battle a giant."
But the most important truth in this old story is David's trust in God. Listen again to what young David says to mighty Goliath: "You come to me with sword and spear, but I come to you in the name of the Lord!" That was the secret of David's courage and strength -- the trust in God's power that had sustained him through all of his life. Most of you will remember the radio show that featured George Burns and his wife, Gracie Allen. In real life, Gracie Allen was a bright, wise businesswoman who shared a wonderful life with her husband George. But often in their comic routines she played the part of a ditsy personality whose sweetly simple approach to life provided many laughs.
In one episode Gracie became very upset because her electric clock kept losing time. So Gracie called a repairman who almost immediately discovered the problem -- Gracie's electric clock was not plugged into the outlet! When he told Gracie the problem, she said, "Oh, I know that! I didn't want to waste electricity, so I only plug it in when I want to know what time it is!" A lot of people forget that the resources of God are only there when we are plugged in each day to the Living God. David's whole life was one of faithfulness and trust in the Lord. That's the firm foundation we all need as we face our giants.
Closing Prayer
O God of power and might, we turn to you as we face the giants in all of our lives. May we, like David of old, find the strength, the courage, and the wisdom we need to be victorious. We pray in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Benediction
To you, O God, be all glory and praise, both now and forevermore. Amen.
