You are familiar with the story of David and Goliath and today I want to point out the little known similarity to that account and our current coronovirus pandemic.

It begins in 1 Samuel 17:11 where the Scriptures records that “Saul and all Israel…were dismayed, and greatly afraid.”

The army of Israel and their King, Saul, were in fear over one soldier. For 40 days this pagan warrior intimidated God’s chosen because they were fixated on Goliath, not on their God.

You are familiar with the story, David was a youth who went to bring his brothers some bread. When David got to the camp he realized that these men of war were acting like snowflakes, he was troubled by the fear in the camp.

He must have thought, Why would our army and King be so fearful over one big pagan when we all serve one Big God?

Of course you know how the story ends, but I want to draw your attention to a very practical reason why David didn’t join into the fear over Goliath as the others did. And I share this with you because it is a very good and practical reason for you and I to not join into the fear of the current coronavirus pandemic, either.

We find the reason in 1 Samuel 17:34-36 where David lobby’s the King for permission to kill Goliath, “David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.”

So why do I say this is the one practical reason David doesn’t join in the fear of others in the camp? Because David knows one all important principle of following God through whatever circumstance we may face.

David knows that we have no reason to fear as long as we don’t forget the ways our Lord has led us in our past!

If we forget how our Lord has led us in our past we are more likely to fall into the fear of every unknown challenge that befalls us.

So David recounts to the King, God’s leading in his past and he in confident faith said “and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.” And that is exactly what happened.

If the pressure of our current coronavirus situation is beginning to lay a blanket of fear upon your heart and mind, don’t despair. Take a moment and think back through your life and the worst of times and reflect on how the Lord has brought you from that.

We are apt to forget, but sometimes it does us good to remember how the Lord has led us in our past so we can be confident of His leading in our present.

There are a few times in my past that I intentionally travel back in my mind just to remind myself that my Lord has led and He will lead. I often travel back 40 years to the days when I was first saved, just to refresh my memory of how powerful the simple story of Calvary was to my wayward teenage life.

I have a photo in my home of myself and my two young daughters taken shortly after a painful divorce and I am reminded of the fear that the photographer couldn’t see. It was a time of deep prayer, empty pockets, and an unclear future.

Yet, it reminds me that my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who died for me on Calvary’s cross has not forsaken me and I don’t expect Him to start now.

Sure, we are human and we will have moments of fear, but when that occurs let’s pause in prayer and give thanks for how the Lord has led in our past, and give praise for how He gives us reason to face this giant of coronavirus without harboring fear.