...because You, who is rich in mercy, made me alive with Christ.

If there is one thing just about everyone has heard of, it is David and Goliath. It is just a great story of how a young boy took down this mighty giant that had frightened an entire army.

Time and time again this reference is used as a metaphor for people who are going through struggle, but I'm afraid that we have forgotten to look at something. What happens when the obstacle we face defeats us?

You see, because we are human and therefore imperfect, we cannot always defeat the "giant" that we may be facing in our lives. So I have a different metaphor I would like to pass on to you:

What if, in the story of David and Goliath, we are the Israelites instead of David? As humans we are in need of a champion, a Savoir. We are looking at this giant, cowering behind each other, terrified that we might be the one chosen to go up against it. God is not calling us to fight. "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." (Exodus 14:14). Christ is our champion. We always hear or say things about how life is difficult or how we are stressed, anxious, worried. Is that because we are trying to fight the giant ourselves?

We have got to stop trying to make it through the world without Christ. We wont succeed.

"You were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the wars of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom or the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient." - (Ephesians 2:2)

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved." - (Ephesians 2:4)

Christ has already begun a work in all of us. All of our sins were nailed on the cross with him. He carried the burden of sin from all of humanity and died so that "in Him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." (Ephesians 3:12).

He died so that we could have a relationship with God. The only catch is, we have to accept the gift that was so freely given.

"Love came down and rescued me

Love came down and set me free

I am Yours

I am forever Yours."

- Love Came Down by Bethel

...even through my weaknesses.

There was once a man. This man wanted to build a castle to keep him safe from the harshness of the wilderness around him. The man called on a master builder and friend, with whom the man was very close, and asked him to build a castle. The castle turned out not to be extravagant and lush, but it was very strong. Because the man and his friend were very close, the man invited his friend to come and visit frequently. Every time the friend visited, he would always check on the integrity of the walls he had built and fix any problems. This upkeep maintained the strength of the walls and the weather could not touch the man. 

After a few years, the man became comfortable and took the walls, which had been protecting him, for granted. He would boast about the walls and of their strength. Many people would come by to see it for themselves and some even asked for shelter on some nights. Because the man had so many people in and out of his castle, he didn't have time to invite his close friend to visit anymore. The walls, slowly but surely, were losing their strength.

One night, the man, being welcoming and friendly, gladly offered a couple spare rooms to some travelers. When all had turned in for the night, the guests got up and started wandering around the castle. These guests were not what they seemed. They were sent by other men who were envious of the strength of the walls and if they couldn't have the strongest walls, then no one could. So the guests, as instructed, chipped away at the walls in several places. Because they didn't want to be caught, they chipped away at hidden places that no one would look. When the job was done, the guests ran away into the night so they would not be there when the man woke up.

Later in the night, a horrible storm came. It wind howled, the rain pounded, and the thunder shook until bricks started to fall off of the walls. They man awoke to the great noise and saw what was happening to his castle. He tried the best he could but it was all in vain because nothing the man built was strong enough to hold up against the nature he had avoided for so long. Finally remembering the once close friend that had built the castle, the man sent for him. When the friend arrived he saw the castle as he approached and knew just what needed to happen. The man greeted his friend at the door with sadness because he knew that by ignoring his friend and inviting people to see the walls that he was so proud of, he let the walls crumble. 

His friend, with a smile, placed a hand on the man's sunken shoulders and said, "It's okay. I am here now. Everything will be okay."

When people become Christians and begin their relationships with Christ, He begins to build walls around them to keep them safe from the storms of temptation and sin. How easy it is to then become proud and forget the One who is truly us safe. We invite sin into our lives and as it chips and carves at the walls that are built, those walls begin to crumble and we can no longer feel their protection.

Here is the good news, though: If you ever call upon the name of the Lord, He will show up smiling and say to  you, "It's okay. I am here now. Everything will be okay."

Dear Heavenly Father,

It is so easy to be caught up in this

world as it continues to spin around and around.

We lose sight of what is really important.

We ask that we are continually

reminded of your presence and

that we never lose sight of our relationship

with you.

We pray these things 

in the name of your son, Jesus Christ.

Amen