David: STANDING Alone for God

David was willing to stand for God--all alone. And there were few more lonely spots in the history of the universe than the hillside of the Valley of Elah in the 'no man's land' between the armies of Israel and the Philistines.

Haven't we all sometimes wished we could have had a bird's eye view of the titanic confrontation of David and Goliath? That scene in biblical history stands as one of the greatest moments of God's Word.

Let's go back to the crisp, cool air of a Middle Eastern morning three thousand years ago to see David. Two callused feet slipped quietly out from under the warmth of a wool fleece and deftly into the sandals left carefully beside the low wooden cot. In the twilight of early morning's pre-dawn darkness the possibly red headed, teenaged-boy crept carefully out of the stone house on the outskirts of Bethlehem.

With the confidence of integrity and the joy of purity--young David was on his way to a moment never to fade from the pages of history.

Walking excitedly the rocky paths up and down the hills of Judah, the young shepherd boy was headed to the Valley of Elah a mere 8 miles off. Arriving before breakfast young David eagerly surveyed the eastern rim of the valley. Campfires and tents dotted the hillside as he looked at the army of God's people Israel. With a heart filled with gratitude and wonder David strode up to the first tent and asked if anyone knew where his brothers from Bethlehem were camping. The special provisions his dad had sent them needed to be delivered, but they were only a part of David's purpose in coming.