February 2007
Today, I watched the movie, “Facing the Giants”, it was an awesome movie and I would recommend it for everyone. God has been doing a lot in my life these past days and watching the movie brought some thoughts to mind. In the movie there is a football team who has been losing terribly and this puts the coach’s job on the line. He decides to take a leap of faith and surrenders his team and the season over to God. He teaches the team to look to God and to praise Him when they lose and when they win. God desires to be a part of everything we do and that His word is our weapon against the world. It’s our weapon when we face the “Giants” in life. Throughout the movie, God blesses the team and makes His name known. It’s not only the team who changes but the outlook within the community and the school, when God is put first. I won’t tell you the end of the movie; you’ll have to watch in for yourself. But know our God wins!
In South Africa, they face many “Giants” on a daily basis. Every 11 seconds a child in South Africa becomes an orphan because of AIDS. Within South Africa, one out of five adults’ ages 18-35 has AIDS or is infected with HIV. Weekly children are burying their loved ones and learning to take care of themselves and their siblings, and have the joy of being a child torn out of their hands. These are the “Giants” of South Africa, yet we serve a Mighty God. God spoke to the heart of David, and used him to take down a Giant. David was small in human standards, but he was BIG in God standards (1 Samuel 17). God is waiting at the door, though are you knocking? (Matt. 7:7-8).. Are we willing let Him in to assist with facing our “Giants?”
It’s easy to serve The Mighty One when things are going smooth in our lives, but when the “Giants” come, we run and hide. I refuse to hide anymore. I refuse to sit here vs. facing those “Giants” in front of me. And I refuse to not be used by God as voice to those who have faced Giants for many years with few picking up their “swords (the Word)” to fight with them. In Hebrews 4:12-13 it states, “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints ad marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” God has called me back to His people in South Africa for a two-year term. I’m excited about this opportunity He has placed before me.
