Daily Devotions
With Your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. Psalm 18:29
David describes facing an enemy with super strength. He felt overwhelmed by the challenge. One could think either of David’s encounter with Goliath or later with Saul, who marshaled all his official troop strength against a fleeing David with a raging band of followers. But David had a secret weapon which he mentions in our text – God’s help. With God’s strength behind him, David knew he could win the victory. Ultimately this unlikely champion was crowned king of Israel.
How often we feel like underdogs. The opponents look tall and strong. The troops lined up against us are hardened fighting men with superior equipment. In front of us looms a huge wall blocking our road. We lack money, degrees, intelligence, physical ability, or the courage to speak the right words. We want to witness to our faith, demonstrate love to others, work for the Kingdom, but we feel overwhelmed by the challenges.
Then we remember that God sent His Son Jesus to face the old evil foe. He appeared to be the underdog. Born in a manger, growing up in the obscure provincial town of Nazareth, sentenced to an ignominious death on the cross, Jesus nevertheless emerged the victor. He conquered Satan, death, and the world’s sin by His death and resurrection. The underdog was crowned King of kings and Lord of lords.
He lives in us by virtue of our baptism. He forgives us our doubts, builds up our faltering confidence, shows us the way, and goes with us into battle. We can advance against the troop and scale the insurmountable wall. By His grace, we too are crowned as champions – unlikely champions – in His service.
PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, continue to be my strength as I fight the battle against the evil foe so that I may serve You in this world and live with You in heaven. Amen.
(Devotions from “My Daily Devotion” by Dr. Stephen J. Carter, copyright 1988 CPH. All rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For ordering information, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit www.cph.org.)