My last blog “Konnichiwa to Peace” expressed some of the struggles I’ve encountered battling with Goliath size fears. Divulging how I kept “trophies” of past victories, memento’s if you will, representing a fear or personal obstacles that was overcome with the Lord’s help. Many of which wound up in the form of a charm dangling off my “Victory Bracelet”, that now sports many bobbles of triumphs.
Previously I wrote about the Yahoo milk bottle saved from Derek’s first excursion to the neighbor market without me. Honestly he should have been given his own personal trophy, he certainly deserved one for displaying stellar patience towards me. After wrapping up my last blog post, my mind meandered down the path of the word “Trophy”, this was another one of my ADD “squirrel” moments. This time it was not about my stouthearted trophies but rather my husbands.
Just a few short weeks ago I found my sweetheart’s 27 year old bona fide trophy now laying in our garbage bin. First response hands down, was to rescue it from a perilous demise, being the glorified dumpster diver that I am. Dating far back before it was hip or they had a show highlighting ‘Extreme Cheapskates”. My husband would not call it “glorified”, rather more like “horrified”; watching this derriere and legs go up in the air while my upper body descended into the sea of buried treasure. And though only diving for home decor, is still what it is… a dumpster!
Pulling Kevin’s prestigious award away from it’s helpless state atop a hefty garbage bag, it conjured up fond memories right along with it. Recollections of him rallying his team to victory at McIntire’s gym’s competition in 1986, the same time we were dating so many years ago. A lot has happened through the years and this trophy was no exception, making me laugh yet again at it’s current condition. This once shining gold statue depicted a strong man lifting gargantuan weights, was now reduced to looking like he was merely hoisting a wimpy stick.
At some point over the years the two end weights accidentally broke off, caused by either my notorious mad packing skills, or due to the fact it was made rather cheaply. Naturally, I like to think it’s due to it’s poor craftsmanship. Upon this first time discovery I felt positively mortified about the broken condition of his honored trophy, ever so slowing studying the transformed image in my hand made me laugh. How funny to gaze upon a depiction of such brute force needed to elevate a stick. Well, I guess you could say he was “raising the bar “.
All in all celebrating the feat of stick holding is not a bad thing. David the Shepard boy having only staff in hand and five smooth stones nestled in his shepherd’s pouch, fearlessly approached the giant Goliath. He had been relentlessly taunting God’s people for over 40 days. David who was anointed to be the future King of Israel was wholeheartedly confident that no one should defy the armies of the living God. Goliath remained amused, confident and clueless with his retort at the sight of David by belching out, “Am I a dog, that you would come to me with a stick”. David responded flawlessly, finishing with this heroic reply, “And all the assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hands”. Which is exactly what God did… allowing David to defeat the giant; He took Goliath’s head and armor as trophies. I will stick to charms and glass milk bottles as memento’s of battles won… thank you very much. For those who don’t know this amazing story check it out in 1 Samuel chapter 17.
I don’t know what giants you’re facing today, perhaps it’s an illnesses, divorce, loss of a loved one, or finance’s. No matter how powerful the enemy seems in the natural, God will prevail and you will win the victory. What the enemy has meant for evil you oh Lord will use for good.
Thank you Jesus that you knock off the weight of the world as we yoke ourselves to you, making our yoke easy and our burden light. I love that You tell us to glory in our weaknesses as Your strength is made perfect in it. So going against the pull of my performance based nature. God is out of the box, forward thinking, ready to rock your world with His grace that pounds louder than crashing waves along the rocky shores. Ready to take your breathe away with His goodness, wonder and hope. Let us rejoice in the truth that You strengthen our spiritual muscles, “coming to pump us up”, while lovingly reminding us not to sweat the small stuff.
Psalms 68 :12&13 “The kings of the enemies’ armies, they flee, they flee! She who tarries at home divides the spoil [left behind]. Though you [the slackers] may lie among the sheepfolds [in slothful ease, yet for Israel] the wings of a dove are covered with silver, its pinions excessively green with gold [are trophies taken from the enemy].”