What's your motivation?

“This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head….And the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.”  -       1 Samuel 17:46

While David didn’t show too much common sense or evidence of logical thought by stepping onto the battlefield against Goliath, he did show an incredible source of motivation. Where did it come from? David’s first words to the giant above show that he was not there for himself or even for his country, he was there for the Lord.  David’s greatest desire and his ultimate motivation for fighting, and in all of life, was to see the Lord gloried and His name lifted high.

I really don’t think David was too worried about the outcome of the battle, a little scared I’m sure, but not worried.   He knew the Lord had called him to fight, he knew he had been obedient and he knew the Lord was going to be gloried by the result, win or lose.  All throughout the scriptures we find examples of the Lord using working throughout the events of history for his glory. 

David experienced an incredible sense of peace in his life, even while fighting Goliath because he remembered that the whole world, his life included, was firmly established in the hands of the Lord.  David expresses this view on life in Psalm 31:14-15 where he says, “But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are me God.’ My times are in your hands.” It was the understanding that his life and survival, good or bad, success and failure, rested entirely upon the Lord that made David so willing to be obedient and brave.  This is way David was able to pray the following prayer in Psalm 31:3: “Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake or your name lead me and guide me.”   If you and I were to remember, like David that, “He’s got the whole world in his hands” we would be quick to answer God’s daily calling and brave when taking on the giants in our own life.  What is your motivation today?