Don't Taunt My God

(This was first posted in May of 2009 and written by my sister, who has contributed a few times to the blog.  One of her passions is for the unborn and the sanctity of life.  We need to encourage her to contribute more often!  I hope it also encourages you to stand up for God  in today's battles as young David did against Goliath. ~ Karen)

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." Revelation 3:15, 16  (NASB)

When you think about it, there are not a lot of things that are good lukewarm.  In fact I would challenge you to name even one.  Well, I don't really want to take that bet but you know what I mean. Food is usually best if it is hot or cold. Mmmmmm.  Cold milk, cold watermelon, compare those to lukewarm milk, lukewarm watermelon.  No comparison.

Today, we as Christians tend to be lukewarm when it comes to issues that we need to take a stand on.  Normally it's fear that drives us to sit on the fence.  We certainly wouldn't want someone to think that we are judgmental or one of those religious nuts would we?  So, we either allow the world to skew the truth in our minds or we don't say anything at all for fear of retribution.

Take the abortion issue for instance. How many times have you heard this statement when a friend or acquaintance is explaining their stance on life?  "Well, I consider myself pro-life because I would never do that.  But I don't want to push my views on anyone else.  So I believe abortion should be between a woman and her doctor and her family. It should be legal."

Here is my answer to that person: " Um, excuse me, but how can you be pro-life if you would stand back and allow the systematic murder of our most innocent and vulnerable?  This is one of the most picture perfect examples of being lukewarm.  Do you think as a Christian that Jesus is pleased with your answer?"  There it is.  Fear of looking judgmental.  Fear of looking too radical.  Who cares what the truth is?  Who cares that the world in its self centeredness and sin is taunting the Living God.

That brings me to the following story.  We've all heard it, but have we really? 

For about the last 3 months or so, our adult Sunday school has been studying 1Samuel 17. The story of David and Goliath.  Our teacher has challenged us to really dig for the reason that God put this story in His bible.  Growing up, and even until the last few months, I was like most people and saw it as a story of the little guy going up against the big mean guy and prevailing.  I saw it as a story of courage and faith.  All of that is true.  But I missed the big picture.

For 40 days and nights the armies of Israel were being taunted by a Philistine warrior named Goliath.  We all know he was big.  Most scholars put him at about 9ft. 6in., give or take.  Truly, I don't care about an inch or two here or there.  This was a large scary man.  He was also covered from head to toe with the latest in armor and had a shield-carrier who walked out before him.  He carried a javelin which probably weighed around 30 lbs. and he could fling it because of the way it was made.  He also carried a large sword.  Well, Israel was terrified. Shaking in their boots so to speak.  Goliath was asking for someone to come and fight him. "Hey guys, if you win (yeah right) we'll be your slaves; if we win you come and be ours."  King Saul had even offered his daughter and basically no taxes for the man who would go out and take him on.  No takers.  Until David enters the picture.

Small of stature, young, just a shepherd, never been a warrior before.  Dad had sent David to find out how his brothers were doing on the front and to take some provisions to them.  About the time he got to the battle front to greet his brothers, David heard the taunting coming from Goliath.  He saw the army of Israel turning and running.  He was asked,  "Have you seen this man who is coming up?  Surely he has come to defy Israel." He also heard what Saul would do for the man who took this giant on.  Now listen to this: David says, "What will 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 taunt the armies of the Living God!!?"  I love this man.  He has a heart for God.  Did you hear what he was saying?

The story doesn't stop here.  Satan starts his wicked work.  The attempt to discredit starts. One of David's older brothers, Eliab, says to David, "Why have you come down? (You little pipsqueak), And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? (Yeah, you and your nothing little job). I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle."  David says, "What have I done now? Was it not just a question?"  So he goes to King Saul.  Man, oh man. King Saul sees this inexperienced, small youngster and tries to discourage him from the battle also, but David doesn't give in.  Finally Saul relents and gives David permission to go out and fight Goliath. 

BUT FIRST let's try on this armor.  Doesn't fit.  Won't work.  But it doesn't stop David.  He goes out, gets 5 smooth stones (Goliath had 4 sons. He knew he only needed one for Goliath) and says to Goliath, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord's and He will give you into our hands."  Well, we all know the end of the story.

So, about now you are saying to yourself, "where is she going with this?"  My question to you is this: was David lukewarm?  Who was his first love?  Who was He fighting for?  We need to ask ourselves these questions when faced with our Goliaths.  Do we run from the fight or do we go to it knowing that our God is fighting for us?  Do we tell the truth when faced with the lies of this world or do we run from it?  Do we allow the world to taunt the Living God with horrors like abortion, or do we pick up our little pathetic slingshots and our few stones and allow our God, the fiercest of warriors, to sling them for us?  He wants to use us like He used David.  He wants us to be like David, a man after God's own heart.  But to do that, we must be hot for Him.

This is a rallying cry for all of you out there who love God, who are tired of the taunting from the world.  I'm not afraid, and there is One Whom I do not want to offend.