MAN OF WAR

1 Samuel 17:37
The Lord who delivered me
from the paw of the lion and
the paw of the bear will deliver me
from the hand of this Philistine.
Saul said to David,
"Go, and the Lord be with you."



1 Samuel 17:37 features a very young David, not yet a King, volunteering to face the gigantic archenemy of his country and countrymen. Even though David was young and without much experience, David assured King Saul that God would deliver him from Goliath because the Lord had moved in his life before by protecting him from a lion and bear while David shepherded his flock. I once read a story about the man-of-war, which is a creature that looks a lot like a jelly fish. While the man-o-war appears to be harmless, it has deadly poisonous tentacles on it's underbelly. What is quite interesting is that the man-of-war swims accompanied by a shepherd fish. As larger fish would attempt to devour the small shepherd fish, the man-of-war would protect the smaller fish, stinging and paralyzing the larger fish with its venomous tentacles. In much the same way, David the shepherd protected his flock from its giant enemy, with the full knowledge that he was being protected by the Great Shepherd, the Lord God. Remember that when you move with faith and are committed to the kingdom of God, our Father in heaven is with you and will be faithful to protect you.