The Cause

Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?" Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. 1 Sam 17:28-30 (NKJV)

When we were kids my sister was strong-willed, bossy and looking for a cause worth fighting for. I am sure that without Christ living in her heart, she would have been in the front lines protesting against the Vietnam War. King David had a lot in common with my sister. He was also strong-willed, bossy and looking for a cause worth fighting for. He found his cause, or maybe I should say, his cause found him in the form of a giant warrior called Goliath.

Goliath was a giant of a man and he challenged the hosts of Israel to send a champion out to fight him. Goliath proposed that whichever champion won the bout, the loser's army would then surrender. The hosts of Israel quaked in fear, for Israel did not have a champion that could match the strength and size of Goliath. David, the unknown future King of Israel, was sent by his father with some food for his brothers who were a part of Israel's army. David started mouthing off to his oldest brother, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" David's confidence made Eliab his oldest brother angry, but when he was through putting David down, David said, "Is there not a cause?"

That is the question for the church to consider today. Is there not a cause? The American church is shrinking for the first time in American history. The powers of darkness seem to have more control over the moral direction of our country than ever before. We are losing political clout, the ability to influence, and the giant of secular humanism has issued a challenge. The church is either afraid or apathetic, but we have yet to corporately answer the challenge. We must ask ourselves, "Is there not a cause?" We know this, the Gates of Hell will not prevail against us--and just as young, ambitious David killed Goliath, so the Gates of Hell will fall if we take courage and engage the enemy as God leads us. ...and the answer to David's rhetorical question? "Yes" David, there is a cause!

Prayer: "Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the power that overcomes the world. Thank you for equipping us with mighty spiritual weapons that can and will defeat the enemy. Thank you for making us into a church that is powerful, glorious and triumphant. Please wake us up to the challenge that is before us, and give us the courage to rise up and take a stand. We already know that if we stand against the enemy, we will prevail. Blessed be Your name!" Amen