Defeating Giants

2 Samuel 1-3 David stayed in Jerusalem. One evening he got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his house. From there he saw a woman bathing. She was very beautiful, so David sent for his officers and asked them who she was. An officer answered, “That is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam. She is the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”

Success is a fickle thing. You can look like a stunning success to the people around you whilst, at the same time, being a miserable failure where it really matters – at home, in your family, in your marriage, in the deepest thoughts and intentions of your heart.

I think pretty much everyone has heard the story of David and Goliath. Before becoming king, the young David stood up against a giant Philistine, Goliath, whilst the rest of Israel’s army cowered in fear, and killed him with a single stone from his slingshot.

A great story. A great victory for Israel. An event that launched David on the road to becoming a mighty warrior and eventually the king of God’s very own people.

But things weren’t all plain sailing. Years later, as king, he sent his armies into battle. But …

2 Samuel 1-3 David stayed in Jerusalem. One evening he got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his house. From there he saw a woman bathing. She was very beautiful, so David sent for his officers and asked them who she was. An officer answered, “That is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam. She is the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”

If you read on into the rest of the story you discover that David arranged for Uriah to be killed in battle and then, with him out of the way, took Bathsheba his wife as his own –  murder and adultery in one fell swoop.

So David defeated Goliath but, in the end, lost to Bathsheba. Be careful of the giants that lure you away from what’s right, away from God. The hidden victories are so much more important than the public ones.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.