An Invitation to Run in the Wake of Victory

Chains of fear have restrained me from really living more often than I care to recount. Which explains the level of relief and gratitude I experienced after reading a profound explanation of the cliché story, found in 1 Samuel 17, of David and Goliath. You know: Goliath, the 9-foot tall giant, insults the God of Israel and the Israelite army – all cowering in fear, including the Israelite king – until the shepherd boy, David, comes to the rescue with a slingshot and kills the giant. Then David, the underdog who trusts God, is lauded, and we’re told to be just like that. The end.

Well, sure we should. Problem is, if we had the courage to muster, no one would have to tell us. It’s an unhelpful conclusion to one who has struggled long with fear.

The point that deeply impacted me was that if we merely see David as the hero we should emulate, when the entire rest of the king’s army was shaking in their boots hiding from the enemy, then we’ve missed the point. The point was that there was an entire army hiding in the shadows, paralyzed by fear. And God cared so much for the army of non-valiants that He sent them relief and rescue, which happened to come through David, a symbol for someone greater to come.

God saw His children hiding in the shadows from an enemy worse than Goliath – sin, itself, embedded in our warped DNA. And God’s heart was so deeply moved out of love for us, fear-filled way-wards, that He sent Jesus to come rescue the whole lot of us.

That’s great news for someone like me! I don’t have to muster up courage to slay my giants; I can run in the wake of Jesus’ victory over them. This is what Easter is all about, but Easter is just the start of the celebration. Every day I can choose to celebrate the truth that my victory has already been won. How will I respond to the invitation to follow Jesus, knowing that it’s victory’s wake I’m invited to run in?

As I reflected on all this, a song jumbled out of my fingers. My reminder to look up and embrace the invitation to run in the wake of victory.

Run in the Wake of Victory

I see you cowering there
Quivering in fear
Afraid to face your giant
You hear it taunting you
Cue the evil laughter
And the scorning shame
Why try? So afraid to lose.
But He says to us if we’ll listen:

“I won’t give up on you
I gave My life for you
So that you could run
In the wake of My victory
I fought for you when you
Could not fight for yourself
Did you not hear Me when
I said that ‘It is finished!’ ”

The giant comes again
But now I have a choice
To flee in fear or stand
And wait on You in faith
Help me trust and obey
Deny myself and say:
“I’ll do things Your way”
And He says to us as we listen:

Run! Run the race of life
In the wake of My victory for you.

I won’t give up on you
I gave My life for you
So that you could run
In the wake of My victory.”