David and Goliath.

REFLECTIONS ON THE GOODNESS OF GOD

(March 08, 2025) Brian Bell encourages…

On January 1 this year I moved another year further into my seventieth decade of life— and the inspiration for this short meditation is drawn from my recent reflections on one of my favourite verses: ‘Once I was young and now I am old yet I have never seen the godly forsaken nor seen their children begging for bread’ (Psalm 37:25NLT).

This verse from David’s psalm speaks to me about three basic experiences—

1) David’s Experience of Life
The general experiences of life are common to every man and woman. While our specific individual experiences may differ, they come to us as we progress through life from young to old.

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DEFEATING LIFE’S GIANTS

(March 28, 2023) Brian Bell shares a timely meditation…

David’s encounter with the giant Goliath is recorded in 1 Samuel 17 and must surely be one of the most well-known scriptural records.

Many of us have profited from the life of David and his experience of the Lord and we are familiar with his many encouraging psalms. In revisiting this topic, I offer some thoughts which, while they may not be new, I personally found them beneficial.

A defiant giant  
The scriptural record in 1 Samuel tells us about Goliath’s defiance of God and also of David who alone came to face him. I see Goliath as a type of spiritual opposition – which is still prevalent today! Even manifested through actual people who may say harsh, unkind, even untrue words to us or about us, just as Goliath did with David.

The apostle Paul tells us we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly realm (Ephesians 6:12). This tells me ‘flesh and blood’ people are used to be defiant against the Lord’s work, the Lord’s word and the Lord’s people.

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DAVID’S ‘ON THE RUN’ PSALM

(November 05, 2022) Brian Bell shares about King David’s handling of despair while ‘on the run’…

Since his days as a shepherd the wilderness of Judea was a place known to David because he had spent much time there with his father’s flocks.

If you are familiar with the life of David before and after he became king of Israel, you will remember he also spent time in the wilderness ‘on the run.’

For David this was a literal experience as he first sought to stay away from the murderous intentions of jealous King Saul, and later in his life and reign when he ran from the rebellion of his wayward son Absalom.

Here I share a few encouraging thoughts from Psalm 3 NLT, which I believe give us a look into David’s heart experience as he was on the run from Absalom.

David’s despair
Verses 1-2 tell of David’s concerns – ‘I have so many enemies…so many are against me… so many are saying…’

Recalling David’s attitude as he faced Goliath – running towards the enemy – we may find despair a strange place for him to be and yet it is echoed in these words, particularly the use of the word ‘many.’

Despair is a very real emotion for us in our human experience, even for God’s children. It is not a place any of us plan to be, it is not where we would wish to be, and certainly not a place in which we would choose to stay.

I believe despair it is not a lack of faith on our part but rather a reflection of how our natural weaknesses may be exploited by the circumstances of life or the enemy of souls so that we may be brought to a place where we feel overwhelmed.

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DAVID AND HIS GIANTS



(April 1, 2021) Brian Bell shares his latest meditation…

David’s encounter with the giant Goliath recorded in 1 Samuel 17 must surely be one of the most well-known scriptural records.

In the United Kingdom, we even had a series of television adverts promoting a particular product which used a caricature of the David and Goliath story while not referring specifically to it.

Many of us have profited from the life of David and his experience of the Lord and we are familiar with his many psalms. In this meditation I offer some thoughts which, while they may not be new, I found it beneficial to revisit.

A Defiant Giant
The scriptural record talks about Goliath’s defiance of the Lord and also of David who came to face him.

I see Goliath as a type of spiritual opposition, which is still prevalent today and may be manifested through actual people… just as Goliath was used.

The apostle Paul tells us we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly realm (Ephesians 6:12). This tells me ‘flesh and blood’ people are used to be defiant against the Lord’s work, word, and people!

(more…)