November 17 – Past, present, and future

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder” - James 2:19.

In five weeks time we will be stepping across the doorstep into another year – 2017, and wondering what lies ahead of us. Throughout 2016, for most of us, life has been an adventure to say the least. What at the beginning of the year looked like a clear, straight, road ahead, turned out to have more twists and turns than a roller-coaster. Each day brought it's dilemmas, demands, and trials.

Over the next five weeks, as you contemplate the joys and sorrows 2017 will hold for each of us, are you doing it with a great degree of trepidation, or will you accept the challenge, and in God's strength, do as David did and go forward in trust to face your challenges – giants?

David was your average sized man – in fact, he was the runt of his family, yet the giant he faced was colossal! It doesn't say in the Bible, but what do you think Goliath would measure around his waist....? Well, I used to know a man who was just 6' 2” tall with a waist measurement of 64 inches. Contrast that with Goliath. Standing at 9'9” tall he must have been HUGE around the middle, with a chest the size of a barrel, and a voice like thunder. Yet that didn't deter David from facing up to him.

Wearing the armour of God for protection – faith and trust....with implicit belief in his Saviour, David rushed towards his giant and met him head-on, looked him in the eye, confident that the “God of the armies of Israel” (1 Samuel 17:45), was in charge and would give him the victory. Take note that the word “armies” is used as a plural – not just in charge of Israel, but platoons of angels, weapons of the wind, and forces of the earth – the armies of God.

hroughout this year have we done the same, faced up to our challenges, our Goliaths? Will we determine to do the same next year? How long is it since we loaded our sling and took a swing at our particular giant? Probably you, like me, say “too long”. But don't despair, David wasn't too hot either at repeating his face-off with Goliath. He was to stumble as often as he conquered.

In David's life we see a man - a raging, weeping, bloodthirsty David who was also a failure at family life. In his bad moments no-one could be worse. In his good moments? God in Acts 18:22 NIV called David “ a man after my own heart.” The days David focused on God , his giants fell. When he didn't, he fell.

As we contemplate and plan for a good, God-blessed year ahead, despite the giant roller-coaster, swan dives and belly flops that will inevitably come, we will face them with God by our side, and surrounded with the armies of Israel. Deuteronomy 31:6 gives this assurance: “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you."

Come to think of it, why wait 'til the end of the year - every day is a new beginning.  Let us start now and fix our thoughts on God more than on our trials. Our blessings more than our complaints, and we can't fail – even the HUGEST giant will tremble and fall.

“Bigger Than All My Problems.” Click on the picture to listen.