“Some trust in chariots, and some in
horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” –Psalm 20:7
On April the 10th in the year of 1912 the Titanic set
out from Southampton on its maiden voyage bound for New York City. It was to be the fastest crossing to date on
the greatest ship ever built. While
crossing the frigid Atlantic waters the Titanic top out at suicidal speeds, it
was thought to be unsinkable. The design
flawless, the steel impenetrable, no one ever thought that such technology
could fail. It did fail. It did sink. “Some trust in chariots, and
some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”
The Psalmist David, king of Israel, a man after God’s own heart,
understood as well as any what trusting in God over trusting in man (even
yourself) can do for you. As a young man,
David boldly stood against Goliath of Gath.
David just a youth and Goliath a “warrior
from his youth” did battle to decide the fates of nations, and determine
the destiny of many. Goliath was cloaked
with armor and on his person a sword and spear.
David, a picture of humility, in his shepherd’s robes and armed with a
sling and stone. What no one realized
however (save David), was that David was on God’s side. He slung the rock, struck the giant, and the
victory was to God and to the Israelites.
He trusted in God, while all others feared Goliath. In our lives, we are constantly faced with
giants. They come in many different forms
and take many different shapes. The
giants in our lives engender heartache and fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of: failure,
weakness, neglect, and bondage. They
bring us to worry, and cause us pain and sorrow; all the while seeking to rob
us of joy and peace. Ultimately,
striving to steal our salvation. Giants can
be money problems, health issues, loved ones passing, work issues, the list
goes on. Whatever the giant, named or
unnamed (for some exist only in our mind and are known only to us and God),
it’s up to us to choose when and where to put our trust. In times of war where do we look to for
strength? What do we trust in to take us
through and win the battle? In David’s
day, the king with the most horses and chariots (i.e. the biggest army) was the
one who was the most secure. They
trusted in those things, just as the captain of the Titanic trusted in his
technology. In our day, horses and
chariots could be described as our bank accounts or personal intelligence. Our Titanic could be respectability and
personal merit. The giants in our lives
force us to trust, and when that time comes we must remember the Lord our God.
The natural inclination is to trust in the physical things of
this life. To steam across the ocean of
life; hoping that our “technology” and “innovation” will keep us safe. This theology so permeates our society and psyche
that to think otherwise is considered foolish by many; when in reality we are
fools to trust in anything but God. For
anything but God will fail us. The
remembrance of the Lord and the earnest desire to have Him first in your life
will save your soul. It will take you
through whatever trial or tribulation you are in; it will give you victory over
any giant. When times of trouble or
distress come (for surely they will); do not trust in chariots or horses, but
look to God for he can save and he can bless.
