“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. 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 Israelite's.
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 in something, 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, 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 will take
you through.
