And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (I Samuel 17:37 ESV)
Monsters and Faith
Lately no one cares about monsters. While maps used to warn, “here be dragons,” today we fool ourselves into thinking the monsters are all gone. We have learned, thanks to Shreck, to sympathize with monsters. We have learned, thanks to dinosaur toys, to play with monsters. We have learned, thanks to the concept of tolerance, to get along with most monsters.
But ignoring, redefining, or understanding monsters does not make them go away. It just makes them more dangerous. This is why we worry about wolves in sheep’s clothing. This is why we are scared of the dark. This is why we laugh at ostriches burying their heads.
But God gives us a powerful weapon when we choose to face monsters. He gives us faith. Faith is the weapon, even more than a sling and stones, that David wielded when confronting Israel’s monster, Goliath. David found faith remembering God’s practical, powerful, protective help in his past. Those lions and bears were monsters. But the Lord had delivered David.
And the Lord would deliver David this time, too!
We probably are not fighting dragons, giants, or vampires this week. But we are fighting monsters. Faith is the best weapon.
Our monsters might be our own sinful habits. Our monsters might be the effects of our past and present sin. Our monsters might be our opposition to God’s Word. Fight those monsters with faith, faith in our Lord Christ who defeated every sin while dying on the cross and exiting the tomb.
Our monsters might be the world outside the Kingdom of God. Our monsters might be a government beginning to obsess with restraining the church. Our monsters might be a court system interpreting laws in a hostile way against Christians. Our monsters might be an election. Not only fearing the potential results, but maybe too much focus on what in God’s economy is a very small thing. Fight those monsters with faith, faith in our King, Jesus, who is the true ruler, even when monsters appear to be winning.
Our monsters might be spiritual. While Satan’s forces are limited by time, space, and power, he does oppose strategically the work of the church. We know little about this type of monster, so we might tend to fear them the most. But faith is an effective weapon. Faith might be the only effective weapon, faith in the creator, protector, and victor, Jesus Christ.
Here be monsters.
Take the faith God grants us.