dar334

Our Pastor is from New York.  I know there’s two baseball teams in New York and he prefers one over the other one, and since I’m not a baseball fan I can’t remember which team he likes and which one he doesn’t like.  More than likely when he was talking about this topic I was watching an adorable little girl in a pew to my left and up a couple from where we sit.  Although, now that I think about it, I think he doesn’t like the Yankees.  Perhaps he used an analogy at some point that gives me that impression.

I’m  not a baseball fan.  I’ve tried to enjoy it but find myself experiencing anxiety, rendering me to scream “JUST THROW THE BALL FOR PETE SAKE!”  I swear, the pitchers have the itchiest noses, and their underwear must be a size or two too small, their hats don’t seem to fit them comfortably, and there must be a lot of gnats at ball diamonds because they are constantly messing with their ears.  Just when you think they have everything in place and are about to throw the ball, it starts all over again.  Ears, noses, hats …………

Now when it comes to football, that’s where my interest perks up.  I know the Giants are from New York as are the Jets.  If I had to choose, I would pick the Jets because I know right off the bat that Joe Namath was their quarterback at one point.  (I’m trying to forget about the pantyhose thing though.  I know my Dad had something derogatory to say about that!)  The Giants however, I have nothing on them.  But sports is not what my intended ponder was about but it’s where my AADD took me.

In my daily reading from the chronological plan, the Anakites have been brought up a couple times.  In googling Anakites, the Nephilim have also been mentioned.  Both consisted of giant men.  Which now makes me wonder if the women were giant too, they are never mentioned.  Oh man, what would the size of the babies have been??!!

Anyways, after Moses had gotten the Israelites out of Egypt and was ready to lead them into the Promised Land, the book of Numbers tells us he sent twelve spies in to Canaan to scope out the place.  One man was picked from each tribe to go.  Joshua and Caleb were the only ones out of the twelve that came back with faith that they could take over the land from the Canaanites.  All twelve agreed that the land was rich with milk and honey but the other ten did not think they could overtake the large cities with high walls and giant men.  They had no faith in God.  Even though I haven’t read it yet this year, I know that after Moses dies, Joshua takes his place and leads the Israelites into the Promised Land.

I’m currently in the book of Deuteronomy.  In chapter 2 verse 21 we read that the Nephilim were a people strong and numerous, as tall as the Anakites and the Lord destroyed them from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place.  But were ALL destroyed?

The story of David and Goliath has to be one of the most well known stories in the Instruction Book.  Though probably not as popular as Noah and his Ark, as I don’t recall Fisher Price marketing the killing of a giant, which now causes me to wonder if all those little tykes playing with the Ark were aware of how many people died after that boat set sail, nor do I remember Bill Cosby doing a skit starring a little boy with a sling shot.  It’s probably a good thing because little ones mimicking the building of a boat would be much better than mimicking slinging stones at someone’s head.

Goliath was a giant.  David was a little boy, a shepherd.  His job was to protect the sheep and when a wild animal threatened the life of one of the sheep in his care, he had faith that God would protect him and he would save the sheep.  If God could protect him from lions, he could protect from a mere giant.  God never let him down because he believed.  That same faith protected him when he shot that little stone from his slingshot and it sunk deep in the forehead of Goliath.  He then killed Goliath with his own sword and won the battle.

As I ponder the giants, I’m reminded of a song sung by Francesca Battistelli, “Giants Fall”.  It tells us what faith can do, no matter how big our enemy may be.  The chorus is as follows:

Don’t you be afraid
Of giants in your way
With God you know that anything’s possible
So step into the fight
He’s right there by your side
The stones inside your hand might be too small
But watch the giants fall

We all have battles.  We all at one time or another will feel defeated.  We will all experience battling a giant.  Maybe not in the form of a man, but in the form of a disease, an illness, something too big for us to handle.  Or is it?  I found that once I surrendered to God, after Tonya tested positive for the JC Virus, I have been able to stand up to the giants.  I have my breakdowns, I cry some tears, I often feel mentally exhausted, but I am still standing, and the giants keep coming.  I am still holding firm to my faith that I will not have to face the giants alone, I stand firm in my faith that when the giants of this world defeat the body, they will not have defeated the spirit.  The spirit will be with Jesus in Paradise.  After all, 2 Corinthians 5:8 says

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 

The ending of the song by Francesca Battistell says this:

Miracles can happen
Anything is possible
Watch the giants fall

I’m watching, and when I can’t stand any longer, I know Jesus will carry me.

Take a deep breath ……………. exhale ……………… now ponder.

-dar