Treasures in Heaven
(Matthew 6:19-20)
19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal; 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven , where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.
With God on our side, we always win
Can you imagine being a child and having to face a giant ?
A huge man, three times your size? Would you be scared?
A character from the Bible named David had to do this. He wasn't an adult; he was just a child.
Hmmm... Did he fight this giant just because he wanted to cause trouble? Not at all, because he wasn't crazy enough to get into trouble with a man much bigger than himself, was he?
David fought to defend his people. He was very brave, but it was all because he had good company. Who was with him?
And who will win? Let's find out the details of this story.
David trusted in the Lord and defeated the giant that threatened his people.
Bible Reference: 1 Samuel 17
The Philistine people were enemies of the people of Israel. They had a large army, and one of their soldiers, named Goliath, was a giant nearly three meters tall. He was very strong, skilled with weapons, and had fought in many battles.
He was so big that everyone was afraid of him. It was terrifying! Just imagine fighting a man of that size!
At that time, the people of Israel were camped on one mountain, and the Philistines were camped on another. Between these two mountains was a valley below.
One day, Goliath, the Philistine giant, challenged the people of God and said:
—Hello, people of Israel! Let’s see who is stronger. Choose a man from among you to fight me. I want to see who has the courage! I bet none of you are anything… You are all weak and cowardly. But if one of you manages to defeat me, we will be your servants. If I win, you will be our servants forever. The challenge has begun!
At that time, Saul was the king of Israel, and he was very worried and afraid, just like all the people. How were they going to face this challenge? Do you know what the Israelite army did? Nothing at all. No one volunteered to fight, because they were afraid of losing their lives and being responsible for the whole nation becoming slaves to the Philistines. It was a very difficult situation, and it seemed like there was no solution…
Until David appeared.
David was a young boy of small stature who helped his father by taking care of sheep. His brothers were soldiers, and one day he went to bring them food at the camp.
When he arrived, he saw Goliath humiliating the people of Israel, saying that no one was brave enough to face him. And even worse, he discovered that Goliath had been doing this for 40 days. He kept shouting so everyone could hear that they were all cowards and that no one could defeat him.
David became upset and said:
—Who does this Goliath think he is to defy the army of the living God? I will fight him!
Everyone was amazed and thought David was crazy, because he had never used armor, swords, spears, shields, or anything like that. And besides, he was small! But David was very brave because he trusted God with all his heart.
King Saul asked:
—David, are you sure you want to fight?
David answered:
—God delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, and I killed them. He will also deliver me from Goliath.
Since no one else had volunteered, the battle between David and Goliath was set, and David went forward…
They tried to put armor on him, but it was too big. David decided not to wear it. Then he went to the river, picked up five stones, and put them in a bag he carried with him.
Now the two stood face to face. Goliath was sure he would win, right? But no… Goliath laughed at David and despised him. What he didn’t know was what was about to happen… What would happen next?
David said:
—Goliath, you come against me with a sword, a spear, and a shield, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I will strike you down. And all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel. This whole assembly will know that the Lord saves, not with sword or spear, for the battle belongs to the Lord. He is the victorious God.
After saying this, David reached into his bag and, with a sling, threw a stone that struck Goliath in the forehead. Immediately, Goliath fell face down on the ground. Then David took a sword and cut off his head.
Victory! The people of Israel rejoiced because they were now free from all fear and humiliation, and would no longer be slaves to the Philistines! The Israelites walked out with their heads held high! God is truly wonderful!
What did you learn from the story of David and Goliath?
Today we don't find giants walking around, nor do we need to fight wars, but we all have problems and challenges that we must face and that seem too big for us.
Have you ever had to do something really difficult that you thought you couldn't do? That's right. We all know how to do some things well, and others not so well.
God wants to help us in everything. To achieve this, we must trust in Him until the very end, because He will never abandon us! With God on our side, we always win!
It is TIME to PRAY
Father, it is good to know that you are always with me, protecting me from all evil. When I need something and have something difficult to do and face, I know you will be here, by my side. You are a very strong God and you always give me victory. In Jesus' name, amen.
