Overcoming the Goliath of April schoolwork
Posted by The Skyliner on April 1st, 2009
Matt Huff
Staff Writer
With spring break at our heels, aching to be remembered, facing the onslaught of the remaining weeks of school can be extremely taxing. Yesterday, it seems, we were basking in the sunlight of rest, and now we must brave the long dark of another month. What happened? The unforgiving beast of schoolwork is back with a vengeance, hiding in the dark cave of the Admin building, and the morning call to return to his lair is excruciating.
So how do we make it through? Though a week free from responsibilities and classes was wonderful, we are, admittedly, not as prepared to trudge through the April mire as we would like. The fact remains that we are not quite finished yet. Inevitably, we begin the frantic search for something outside ourselves to rely on as a means of coping through all the hard work ahead.
The experience of returning to school from spring break reminded me of David. Just like each of us, God had a mighty plan for him, a plan to become the next king of Israel. At the time, David was not much to look at; he was a simple, ruddy, shepherd boy that, compared with his older brothers, did not have the look of a king. However, God told Samuel to anoint him, for he was to rise and lead His chosen nation.
Before he became king, though, David had to face Goliath. Ugh, Goliath. The army of Israel had pleaded with David to consult with King Saul for armor and weaponry, but he declined. David knew that if he were to fell the giant, he had to rely on the strength of God alone.
As students, especially those of us who are a mere, sweet breath away from graduation, God has called us to tackle the four-year giant of college, and that charge can be a daunting one. Though this mission is different for each of us, its purpose is universal; God has provided a Goliath whose intimidating stature and often menacing presence requires us to look to a higher source of strength to make it through. Like David, we cannot settle for the human armor and council of our peers; rather, we must believe God when He assures us that victory is already in our fragile hands.
Of course it is more convenient to stare down all of the projects, presentations and exams in our future and simply fall apart in defeat. But our God is a God with a fierce battle cry, and He has called us to leave footprints in the chests of giants. He has called us to victory in Him, and no matter how burdensome the struggle or how high the hurdle, He has equipped us to overcome it.
Though on our own, we do not have much to offer—last in line to inherit a throne—God has anointed us each to become His mighty warriors. But the call does not come without responsibility; we must make the conscious choice ourselves to grip our sling with everything we’ve got and send the stone soaring.