Welcome back everyone to another episode of carpooling with Jesus. I'm Pastor Justin. And today I want to share a story that I loved as a kid. I actually read it every time I was away from home on a sleepover. It's the story of David and Goliath. Have you ever faced something so big and scary that you didn't know how to handle it? This story is all about how David faced a giant, literally, and how God helped him do amazing things. Let's jump right in. David said to the Philistines, you come against me with a sword, spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of armies, the God of Israel's forces, whom you have defied. In this verse, David isn't focusing on how big Goliath is or how strong he looks. Instead, David is trusting God to help him face this giant. It's not about how strong we are. It's about how strong God is. This story starts with the Israelites facing off against the Philistines in battle. The Philistine army had a giant warrior named Goliath. He was over nine feet tall and wore heavy armor. Every day, Goliath would step out and challenge the Israelites to send someone to fight him. But no one dared to face him. Goliath was too big and too scary. Now David wasn't a part of the army. He was just a young shepherd taking care of his father's sheep. One day David's father sent him to bring food to his brothers who were in the army. When David arrived, he heard Goliath's challenge and he was shocked. Why is no one standing up to him? David asked. David was confident that God would help him. He had trusted God before when protecting his sheep from wild animals. And he knew that God would help him defeat this giant too. Even though everyone else thought David was too small and inexperienced, David trusted that God was bigger than any giant. So David, armed with only a slingshot, went out to face Goliath. Goliath laughed when he saw David, thinking he was just a boy with no chance. But David said, you come to me with a sword, a spear, but I come at you in the name of the Lord. With one swift stone from the slingshot, David hit Goliath in the forehead and Goliath fell to the ground defeated. Everyone was amazed and David's faith in God had saved the day. David didn't look at the giant and think I can't do this. Instead, he looked at God and said, God is bigger than this. Sometimes we face big challenges, like a hard test or a tough game or a difficult situation with a friend. But just like David, we can trust that God is bigger than anything we face. He will help us through. When we put our trust in God, we don't have to be afraid of the giants in our lives. We don't need to face them alone. God is with us and he has the power to help us overcome anything. Friends, maybe you're nervous about a big presentation or a big test in class, or trying out for a team or a play or musical. These can all feel like giants, scary and tough. But remember, just like David trusted God to help him with Goliath, you can trust God to help you face whatever challenges you're up against. Whether it's something big or something small, God is always with you, ready to give you the strength you need to face it. Just like David had a slingshot, you have God's love and power on your side to face anything that comes your way. So next time you feel afraid, next time something feels like a giant, remember, God is bigger than any giant you face. Let's wrap up with our short Friday prayer. God, thank you for this week. Help us finish strong today and bless our weekend with joy and rest. Amen. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. I'll see you next week on carpooling with Jesus. And parents, share this podcast with a friend you see this weekend so they can have faith-filled moments in their car rides next week too. Here's today's question. Talk about it together before you get out of the car. What's a challenge or giant you're facing right now? Have a great weekend.
