Consider this

                If I had to pick one Old Testament story to teach from for the rest of my life, I would pick David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17).   It is familiar, easy to understand and full of lessons about important themes like fear, trust, faith, God and the nature of man.                   As I read through the incident one more time last week, I was struck by a new thought: “Why did Saul allow David to fight Goliath?”   Saul knew what was on the line.   The challenge stated that each army, the Philistines and the Israelites, would chose a warrior and they would fight each other.   The loser’s country would then become the slave of the winner.   With all that hung in the balance, why did Saul allow his nation to be represented by a shepherd boy with no fighting experience when he literally had an entire army of fighting men at his disposa

                The way we see our circumstances is often as important as the circumstances themselves.   To illustrate that point, a Yale University professor told about a friend of his who had a job interview.   She got up early, dressed in her nicest clothes and arrived at office building early for her 11 o’clock appointment.   She took a seat in the waiting room and was somewhat surprised when, at 10:45, she was called into the room.   “They must be running early” she thought.                 A few days later the boss called and offered her the job.   He then mentioned that he was very impressed with how she handled herself despite the circumstances.   “What circumstances?” she asked.   “Well, most people would have been terribly nervous and apologetic had they shown up 45 minutes late, but you acted as if nothing was wrong

                “If you are willing, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40).                 Leprosy was a terrible disease.   Not only did it disfigure and tear up one’s body, it also tore up everything the person held dear.   Lepers had to leave their homes, families, jobs and even their towns.   They had to shout “unclean” so that they did not come into contact with healthy people.   It was such a lonely existence that some referred to lepers as “the living dead” because they had lost everything that brought meaning to their lives.                 It is notable, then, that this man approaches Jesus.   Maybe he thought that he had nothing left to lose, or maybe his faith was so strong that he could not stay away.   Either way, he took a huge risk just talking to Jesus.   However, his words reveal the next big risk.                   Seem