Walking in the WildernessSample

God Trains David For Battle In The Wilderness

David, the youngest son of Jesse, was a shepherd. His task was tending the family’s sheep. But while David was faithfully watching the flocks grazing in the wilderness, God taught David to trust Him. When the sheep were attacked by a bear or a lion, God enabled David to deliver the lambs out of the mouths of the beasts. 

Later, when David visited his brothers on the battlefield, he could not understand why they were letting this giant named Goliath belittle the armies of the living God. His brothers prided themselves on being men of stature with all the right training and experience, while David was looked down upon as a shepherd boy. His brothers accused him of weakness because he was not formally trained in the art of warfare as they were (1 Samuel 17:28). 

All David had been doing was caring for his sheep in the wilderness. They could not comprehend that God was in the wilderness with David. To David, Goliath’s boastful words were no more intimidating than the roar of an angry lion or bear. They could not understand that, in the wilderness, David found his strength and confidence in God; he was trained and fully equipped for battle. Because of David’s time spent in the wilderness, embracing God as his Shepherd, he knew firsthand that God is not only faithful but also capable of working powerfully through His people.

Written by HEIDI WYSMAN

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