Summit. Was. Amazing. I had a small idea of what to expect, but the reality of the past two weeks simply blew me away. My small picture of who the Navigators are (as an organization and as individuals), who I am, and Who God Is were all challenged, expanded, grown, and ultimately brought closer to the truth over the past two weeks.
In the near future I'll might share some specifics about the time in Colorado; I'll also (*drumroll*) be sharing my theme verse for the year. Both have had an incredible impact on me and are worth sharing with you guys. And I've kept the second one to myself for (almost) long enough =P.
However, for today I thought I'd share some observations that I had when reading 1 Samuel 17, aka the story of David and Goliath, during an ETAWG* that we had at Summit. It's a story that I'd read dozens of times before and heard or seen depicted in various forms hundreds of times, but recently God has really been speaking to me via David's life. When I saw it on the list of potential chapters to read during the time, I immediately jumped at the chance to re-examine the story with a fresh perspective.
As I read the chapter and spent time meditating on the story, six truths about Who God Is emerged. I wrote them down and shared them with the group when we reconvened and "debriefed" about how our times were, but for everyone who wasn't there (and those that were who want to read/hear again) I’ll be posting several mini-updates over the course of this week. Here’s the first::
1. YHWH is living
"David asked the men standing near him, 'What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?'" ~1 Samuel 17:26
God is set apart from every other god, concrete or abstract, that we could worship in that He is ALIVE. And not only does God exist: He always has and always will. God is not stone or wood or any created thing. Serving a living God changes how we live our life. The Israelites let Goliath blaspheme God twice a day for FORTY DAYS because their view of God was too small. Goliath was bigger and more tangible to them, so they stayed silent and cowered because they did not trust God enough. How can you trust God if you are not acutely and intimately aware that He exists and lives? When David shows up he IMMEDIATELY acts differently than his brothers, the rest of the soldiers, and even the King. His question rests on the presumption that the Israelites serve not only a living God but THE living God. God is unique and powerful, and this prompts David to question what has become a routine, daily event that not even Saul's offers of reward (wealth, a wife, and complete tax exemption!) could change. The knowledge of YHWH as living is a powerful catalyst that changes the way David interacts with the world and sets him apart. Let it change the way you view the world as well!
*ETAWG=Extended Time Alone With God
