Read: 1 Samuel 17:38-51
I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. (v. 45)
Trash talk has never been my strong suit, which generally speaking, I consider a good thing. However, there are certain times and places when trash talk comes in handy. Trash talk in the sports arena is to be expected, and on the battlefield, perhaps even more so. It’s probably a good thing I’m not an athlete or soldier.
When David steps out to face Goliath, lacking protective armor and clutching a mere shepherd’s staff, five smooth stones, and a sling, I personally feel like wilting as they engage in their first battle—a battle of words. It’s trash talk at its finest. Goliath curses David and suggests that he’ll feed him to the birds and beasts. David does not blanch; he doesn’t tremble or flee. In fact, David comes back with the perfect insult, one like I always wish would come to my own mind in a moment of need. Basically, David tells Goliath, “Be afraid. Be very, very afraid because I’m here in God’s name.”
Proverbs 18:10 reads, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe” (NRSV). We need not fear the battle—and life is filled with them—because we arrive in the name of the Lord. We stand, protected, in the strong tower of our God, his name above all names.
As you pray, ask that God would cover you today in the strength of his name.
About the Author
Katy Sundararajan is a specialized minister in the Reformed Church in America. She has garnered her pastoral perspectives from posts as a college chaplain, a missionary, an international student advisor, and a higher education and leadership ministries program coordinator.
