David and Goliath

Last night before bed the kids and I were going through our Gospel Art Picture Kit. We ran into the picture of David and Goliath. The kids were very interested as I gave them a quick rundown. So, tonight we decided to do our Family home evening on the story of David and Goliath. It was great fun and the kids loved it. As I was reading the story to them and we were discussing it after I was very touched by the simplicity of David's faith.

He told the king of how he had fought with a lion and a bear to save his father’s sheep and concluded by saying that the Lord would deliver him out of the hand of the Philistine. Saul, possibly thinking that one more life lost would not be serious among the great losses they had already sustained, said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with thee” (1 Sam. 17:37).

Saul then placed armor on David until the boy could scarcely walk. David said to the king, “I cannot wear this,” and he took the armor off.

He then “took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had … ; and his sling was in his hand” (1 Sam. 17:40).

This stripling of a boy, with only a sling and five stones, and without any armor other than the armor of faith, went down into the valley to face Goliath.

“And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

“And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?”

And Goliath swore at David, saying, “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.”

Then David spoke these great words: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

“This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” (see 1 Sam. 17:42–46).

That was brave talk for a boy who stood against a nine-foot giant.

In anger Goliath came at him. Then David, running toward the giant, “put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth” (1 Sam. 17:49).

As we talked about how David was armed with Faith and not armor I thought about all the Goliaths that are around us today that are not nine feet tall, yet they might feel like that at times. I thought to myself, how do I measure up, do I approach my Goliaths, as David ,

“Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel"

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have through Family Home Evening to teach my Children simple principles that will enrich theirs lives forever, if they embrace them and for the opportunity to re-teach myself , reflect and re-commit so I can be a better mother and teacher to my Children. I love the Gospel so much!