Giants in the Land
March is one of my favorite times of the year. Spring begins to awaken the earth out of its slumber, calling forth new growth. Lent is in full swing, calling the Church to long-established disciplines that nurture new growth in our souls. Then, of course, there’s “March Madness,” the NCAA tournament to crown as champions the best men’s collegiate basketball team in the country. You don’t have to be a sports fan to appreciate the zaniness of this annual American pastime. Every year, I find myself surprised at the size of these young men, most of whom are still teenagers. The clear winner of the “Giants in the Land” award this year is Tacko Fall, from Senegal, who plays for the University of Central Florida. At 7’6” he towers over most other players in the tournament by at least a foot. You could say he is a modern-day giant. Every coach’s strategy has to focus on how to distract, get around, or otherwise neutralize his impact on the court. He’s just too big to ignore.
Watching him play reminded me of another teenager who had to square off with a giant – only there was a lot more at stake than a trophy. David’s epic battle has inspired generations of Jewish and Christian believers, not just because of his courage, but also for his amazing faith in God. He has reminded me many times that there will always be giants in the land. Unlike the Israelites in the desert who almost stoned Moses out of their fear for the “sons of Anak” (Numbers 13 & 14), David ran into the battle confident that God would protect him, and he would prevail. In fact, this showdown was just the beginning for David and prepared him for many other battles to come. I’m convinced that God arranges these battles for us, ordering them, if you will, to build our capacity and increase our endurance. Jeremiah challenged the Israelites of his day with the question, ““If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?” (Jer. 12:5). Indeed, God calls us to square off with giants, not avoid them. As much as we would like to be on Easy Street, we can’t escape the fact that God’s work will always be opposed, often fiercely. The battles we face may not be with physical giants, but they are very real and will call forth from us every ounce of strength and courage that we possess.
What are the giants in your land today? What is that one thing posing such a huge challenge that it’s just too big to ignore? Giants come in many varieties, shapes and sizes. The common thread is their ability to paralyze us in fear and stop us in our tracks. In those moments, God calls us to remember that the battle belongs to him and the victory is secure. Finding that peace and resting in that trust is what the battle is all about for us. God will never fail us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5,6). Nor will he allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to endure (1 Co. 10:13). James reminds us that the roots of our temptations lie in our own desires (James 1:13-14), those unhealed, unrestored places in our souls. I would add that our journey with God is both individual and communal in nature. While we each have to face our giants, unlike David, we don’t have to face them alone. Many brothers and sisters in Christ have gone the way before us, including and especially, our brother Jesus, who “in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
During this Lenten season, let God call to mind the giant he stands ready to defeat for you. We may have no idea how to overcome and move beyond this giant, but God already has a plan and is getting us in shape to carry it out. Like Caleb and Joshua, who saw the same giants as the other spies, let’s keep our eyes focused on the Promised Land and all that awaits us on the other side, for God is already giving it into our hand.
The Rev. Dr. Tom Herrick is Canon for Church Planting in the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic.