The Fourth Week in June
We Read…
Have you ever felt like you were facing something impossible? Or maybe it was like you were getting hit from all sides? Fighting a losing battle? In over your head? If you have, you aren’t alone. The Bible is filled with stories about overwhelming, catastrophic, and unwinnable situations. But the stories don’t end with the struggle! This week, we read about David and the Philistine, aka David and Goliath. On paper, this was an easy win for Goliath and a death sentence for David. But amid his battle, God was present and with him!
In our Mark passage, we read about a storm overtaking the boat. The disciples were terrified; they knew they couldn’t fight against the storm and that this might be the end. But amid their situation, Jesus was present and with them!
When we feel like life is too much, we can look to the bible and see how God has worked time and time again. God is with us; God will not forsake us.
1 Samuel 17:32-49
32 “Don’t let anyone lose courage because of this Philistine!” David told Saul. “I, your servant, will go out and fight him!” 33 “You can’t go out and fight this Philistine,” Saul answered David. “You are still a boy. But he’s been a warrior since he was a boy!” 34 “Your servant has kept his father’s sheep,” David replied to Saul, “and if ever a lion or a bear came and carried off one of the flock, 35 I would go after it, strike it, and rescue the animal from its mouth. If it turned on me, I would grab it at its jaw, strike it, and kill it. 36 Your servant has fought both lions and bears. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them because he has insulted the army of the living God. 37 “The Lord,” David added, “who rescued me from the power of both lions and bears, will rescue me from the power of this Philistine.” “Go!” Saul replied to David. “And may the Lord be with you!” 38 Then Saul dressed David in his own gear, putting a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David strapped his sword on over the armor, but he couldn’t walk around well because he’d never tried it before. “I can’t walk in this,” David told Saul, “because I’ve never tried it before.” So he took them off. 40 He then grabbed his staff and chose five smooth stones from the streambed. He put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s bag and with sling in hand went out to the Philistine. 41 The Philistine got closer and closer to David, and his shield-bearer was in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked David over, he sneered at David because he was just a boy; reddish brown and good-looking. 43 The Philistine asked David, “Am I some sort of dog that you come at me with sticks?” And he cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said to David, “and I’ll feed your flesh to the wild birds and the wild animals!” 45 But David told the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel’s army, the one you’ve insulted. 46 Today the Lord will hand you over to me. I will strike you down and cut off your head! Today I will feed your dead body and the dead bodies of the entire Philistine camp to the wild birds and the wild animals. Then the whole world will know that there is a God on Israel’s side. 47 And all those gathered here will know that the Lord doesn’t save by means of sword and spear. The Lord owns this war, and he will hand all of you over to us.” 48 The Philistine got up and moved closer to attack David, and David ran quickly to the front line to face him. 49 David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone. He slung it, and it hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone penetrated his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.
Psalm 9:9-20
9 The Lord is a safe place for the oppressed— a safe place in difficult times. 10 Those who know your name trust you because you have not abandoned any who seek you, Lord. 11 Sing praises to the Lord, who lives in Zion! Proclaim his mighty acts among all people! 12 Because the one who avenges bloodshed remembers those who suffer; the Lord hasn’t forgotten their cries for help. 13 Have mercy on me, Lord! Just look how I suffer because of those who hate me. But you are the one who brings me back from the very gates of death 14 so I can declare all your praises, so I can rejoice in your salvation in the gates of Daughter Zion. 15 The nations have fallen into the hole they themselves made! Their feet are caught in the very net they themselves hid! 16 The Lord is famous for the justice he has done; it’s his own doing that the wicked are trapped. Higgayon. Selah 17 Let the wicked go straight to the grave, the same for every nation that forgets God. 18 Because the poor won’t be forgotten forever, the hope of those who suffer won’t be lost for all time. 19 Get up, Lord! Don’t let people prevail! Let the nations be judged before you. 20 Strike them with fear, Lord. Let the nations know they are only human. Selah
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
1 Since we work together with him, we are also begging you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 He says, I listened to you at the right time, and I helped you on the day of salvation. Look, now is the right time! Look, now is the day of salvation! 3 We don’t give anyone any reason to be offended about anything so that our ministry won’t be criticized. 4 Instead, we commend ourselves as ministers of God in every way. We did this with our great endurance through problems, disasters, and stressful situations. 5 We went through beatings, imprisonments, and riots. We experienced hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger. 6 We displayed purity, knowledge, patience, and generosity. We served with the Holy Spirit, genuine love, 7 telling the truth, and God’s power. We carried the weapons of righteousness in our right hand and our left hand. 8 We were treated with honor and dishonor and with verbal abuse and good evaluation. We were seen as both fake and real, 9 as unknown and well known, as dying—and look, we are alive! We were seen as punished but not killed, 10 as going through pain but always happy, as poor but making many rich, and as having nothing but owning everything. 11 Corinthians, we have spoken openly to you, and our hearts are wide open. 12 There are no limits to the affection that we feel for you. You are the ones who placed boundaries on your affection for us. 13 But as a fair trade—I’m talking to you like you are children—open your hearts wide too.
Mark 4:35-41
35 Later that day, when evening came, Jesus said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” 36 They left the crowd and took him in the boat just as he was. Other boats followed along. 37 Gale-force winds arose, and waves crashed against the boat so that the boat was swamped. 38 But Jesus was in the rear of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. They woke him up and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re drowning?” 39 He got up and gave orders to the wind, and he said to the lake, “Silence! Be still!” The wind settled down and there was a great calm. 40 Jesus asked them, “Why are you frightened? Don’t you have faith yet?” 41 Overcome with awe, they said to each other, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
We Think…
What stands out to you in these verses? Does anything confuse you or not make sense?
How do these verses compare to your own experience in life or the church? What are you considering? What questions come to mind?
Why do you think Jesus questioned the disciples’ faith? Look at their response in verse 41. Why were they surprised at Jesus’s ability to calm the storm?
We Feel…
What emotions are you experiencing today? How are you making space for these feelings?
Where have you seen God today or this week? What is pointing you to God (maybe it is something in creation, maybe a friend or adult that cares for you)?
What has God made new in your life? In your heart?
When have you experienced a battle or waves that feel too big?
How does the story of David and Goliath make you feel?
We Believe…
Where is God in the storm? Sometimes, we feel like life is too much, we feel like we can’t do anything right, everything is working against us, and we can’t get our heads above the waters. Where is God? Where is God when bad things happen to good people, when we pray for a miracle, and it never comes? Does God hear us?
We believe God is always with us, walking right beside us. Even in the middle of times when we feel like we’re all alone, God is near and wants us to turn to God. Many smart people have tried to understand where God is amid evil, and there isn’t a perfect answer. But we know a few things for certain: God is love, God doesn’t cause evil to happen, God cares deeply about us, and God always hears us. We don’t know why bad things happen to people who love Jesus, but we know God’s heart breaks for what breaks ours.
We Practice…
Take time today to write down moments you have seen God working in your life. This can be in big or small ways!
Write down people who have pointed you to God, words you’ve read that have been impactful, experiences that have shown you God’s love, and anything else that reminds you that God is working.
When you feel overwhelmed or like you’re fighting a battle you can’t handle, look back to this list and remember that God is walking with you.
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