I was a mighty warrior, the mightiest of warriors. From the moment I could stand there was a sword in my hand. The gods of my people gave me great strength and stature and in all my days none could stand before me.

 A thousand souls have fallen to my sword, a thousand more to my spear. I have held men above my head, my great hands about their throats and watched as their life ebbed before my eyes.

 From childhood I was raised to be a warrior. Because of my greater stature I was always paired with the older boys, at the age of five summers I was fighting those with ten, at ten summers I fought those with fifteen and at fifteen I was paired against seasoned warriors, men who had taken lives in battle and lived to tell the tale. By the time I had twenty summers of life I was paired against multiple opponents.

 My first experience in warfare was at the age of fifteen summers, when my people went up against the Israelites. On that day a mere three men fell to my sword. It was my first taste of victory. I felt the life blood coursing through my veins, I felt like a god, I relished the fear upon the face of my opponents and I felt no fear.

 In fact, fear was unknown to me, I neither understood nor experienced it, it was foreign to me and I detested those who spoke of the fears they felt before battle. They were lesser men to me, weak and womanly.

  I quickly rose through the ranks and became my people’s champion. None stood before me, all who dared to try died in the dust of my sandals.

 Until the day that everything changed. We had encamped upon a great hill in the land of Socoh opposite our enemy. The Israelite army was weak and cowardly and for thirty plus days I had stood each morning and each evening on the top of the hill, taunting them and challenging them to come forth and fight me. Not one would even lift his eyes to mine, all scurried about their camp like rats running from the light of a torch.

  And then a youth, a small and puny man-child walked across the valley, carrying naught but a sling in his hand. At that moment I felt something deep in my gut that I had never felt before, “is this what fear feels like”, this weakness in my knees, this shaking deep within my inner being? I quickly shook it off and yelled out “ Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?” And I cursed this puny man-child by my gods, the gods who had given me the strength and stature above all others, the gods who had made me the champion of my people, the gods who had delivered me from fear and defeat all my days. “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field!” I shouted. And then the man-child spoke in a loud voice that shook me to my core. “You come to me with sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head and I will give the dead bodies to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hand.”

  I felt the strength leave my legs, my arms became heavy, and for the first time in my life I felt the weight of the great sword I carried. I knew in this moment that my gods had left me, that they had fled in fear of the God of Israel.  I now understand fear, how it can make a man flee and hide how it unmans the soul. Yet I am Goliath, the champion of the Philistines and I must go forth…….so  I stepped forth to meet this man-child, amazed at his courage as he runs toward me, his arm drawing back, the sling swinging about his head………………………..

 I was Goliath, who stood six cubits and a span in height. Armed with the very best of armor, a helmet of bronze upon my head, the weight of my coat of armor was five thousand shekels. I was Goliath, who had slain a thousand with my sword and a thousand with my spear. I was Goliath, none could stand before me. I was Goliath, slayer of souls, instilling terror in the hearts of my enemies. I was Goliath, Champion of my people……..and I am no more.

  What you have just read is a short story, taken from a writing prompt asking that I write a short story from Goliath’s point of view.

 David was victorious because of his faith. It was not his prowess in battle, nor his strength and might that took down the giant. It was the fact that David believed that God was with him, that God would in fact do all the things He had promised for the nation of Israel. David stood upon the promises of the God he served. And God did indeed deliver Goliath into his hand.

 It is in the hard times that we truly discover the depth of our faith.

 I lay my head upon my pillow; I sighed and closed my eyes, my pillow wet with tears.

  It seemed only a brief moment passed between the closing of my eyes and my finding myself standing upon a ledge, a mighty angel of the Lord beside me. He shouted out, “Be not afraid beloved child of God, behold the work of the Lord!” and he thrust out his hand in front of him. I peered through the dense darkness, attempting to see what he was showing me, but the darkness was thick and unrelenting. My ears could hear the crashing of mighty waters, as they churned and roared as if they were swirling about in a massive storm, yet there was no wind, no breeze, no scent of any kind in the air, only darkness.

 And then there was a light, a light so pure and brilliant that I fell to my knees, and I heard a great voice, like the sound of rushing waters, like the roar of a great wind, like a mighty trumpet……..Let there be…………and to my wonder, to my amazement I realized that I was beholding the creation of the world!

 I know not how long I stood upon that ledge, a ledge floating in a sea of nothing, it might have been days, weeks, months or years, or perhaps it was mere moments. I believe I was outside of time as I stood there, next to the angel, who steadied me as I alternated between standing and watching and falling upon my face trembling with the awe of it all.

 By the light of the One who created, I watched as the seas separated from the dry ground, and as the waters separated from the sky. I beheld in wonder as the plant life sprang from nothing into full and vibrant life. I watched by His light, and then by the light of the great blazing sun that He spoke into being.  I watched as evening, and morning passed again and again. I stood upon that ledge and watched my Lord speak all things into being.

 I recall how the sound of the waters changed, from the deep churning, roaring twisting void, to the gently whoosh of the waves lapping up against the newly formed earth. Where there had been no scent at all, now the smell of the salt, and the smell of the vibrant and arrayed plant life entered my nostrils. I who had ever been one to stop and smell the flowers had never in all my days smelled such delight. The fragrance of the flowers that He spoke into being was rich, and soothing, and beautiful. Although within my 55 years I had stood upon many a mountaintop, many a meadow, many a forest, beholding the beauty of the earth in some of it's most spectacular place, I was driven to my knees by the sheer beauty before me, the raw and untarnished beauty of this new place was beyond description. It was truly good, just as He had called it.

 I marveled at the stars in the heavens, Although I had often stood under many a desert sky, beholding the majesty of the heavens, I had never beheld such grandeur and I reeled at the sight of those blazing newly created stars and planets. I do believe that my Lord sustained my life during this time, for my breath was taken from me, I who had called many scenes breathtaking now truly understood what the phrase meant.

  Then He spoke again, and the sky above the earth teemed with a multitude of birds, and they swooped and flew with grace and majesty, arrayed in an assortment of vivid colors, a multitude of birds, singing their praise to the Creator who had called them into life. My friends, words fail me in describing the scene that was before me; no matter the words I choose they will fall short. It was astounding. Then I noticed the seas churning, with a multitude of fish, and mighty sea turtles, dolphins and whales, leaping and dancing before the Creator. Had my eyes never gazed upon another scene, had I been struck blind at that very moment, it would have been enough to carry me all the rest of my days. I prayed at that very moment, oh Lord, oh Father, grant that this scene be ingrained forever more upon my mind, grant that I forget not one bit of it. Twas glorious, twas awe inspiring to watch the evening sunset, upon that peaceful scene.

 And again I was shaken, at the sound of His voice as He spoke, and there sprang forth from nothing, a multitude of creatures, some of which I had never laid eyes upon before. Everywhere I looked, upon the green and vivid earth; it teemed with life, beautiful graceful life. I watched in amazement as a multitude of deer, antelope, giraffe,and elephants, alongside majestic lions and tigers, leapt and danced upon the earth in praise of their Creator. It was more than the senses could process. I was overcome and fell upon my face and worshiped the Creator of all things. Oh yes Lord, it is indeed good.

 And then it became still and quiet and I behold a figure clothed in white walking among the creatures. They all approached without fear, and I watched as his hand went out here and there, to touch a head, to caress a back. The birds swooped up and around Him, and on occasion landed upon his arm. I watched as He spoke to them and visited with them, I know not how long I watched. I knew without question who this glorious figure was, there was no doubt; it was my Lord, my Saviour, the One who died for me.

  I watched as He walked through the mist and to a beautiful flowing stream, and He knelt there next to the water. I could see that He was taking up earth into His hands and forming it and I realized that I was about to behold the creation of our ancestor Adam.  I was far above all this, still standing on the ledge, the angel’s hand upon my shoulder. I strained to see what was transpiring far below me. It seems that as my Lord knelt and crafted something large from the clay that He was singing softly. I watched as He gently blew upon the mass of clay upon the ground, and I gasped as the most beautiful human being that I had ever beheld rose up upon strong legs, a smile upon his face, laughter flowing from his lips as he took the outstretched hand of his Creator. I could feel the love, the peace, the joy radiating through the air, even the creatures, the birds and animals danced in delight at this new being. Some time passed and I beheld my Lord and the man, walking among the plants and animals, and sometimes the man was alone. The man spoke to the animals, and caressed their beautiful coats, and sometimes I watched him nap with his head upon the flank of a great lion. I know not how much time passed as I beheld these things; truly I could have stood there and watched forever. There simply was no concept of time; there was nothing pressing, nothing to rush to, only peace and a beauty of which I am at a loss of words to convey.

  At some point, when my Lord was walking in the garden, I saw Him touch the man, and the man fell asleep, and my Lord gently lowered him to the ground. He hovered over the man, performing some act that I could not clearly see,  but I suspected that I was now witnessing the creation of my sister Eve. And in a small space of time (although time is not an adequate word) I watched, again in awe and amazement as the most beautiful woman arose from the ground and took the hand of her Creator.  Her laughter was musical, I had never heard such perfect laughter, she danced and swirled and bowed and my Lord smiled. I could see that He was so pleased with what He had made. At a word from my Lord, the man awoke and stood, how delightful it was to behold the look on his face as he stared at the woman. Then his face split apart in a beautiful grin as my Lord took the hand of the woman, and placed it into the hand of the man. The entire creation seemed to sing out its praise, in birdsong that put to shame the most beautiful orchestra’s that I had been blessed to hear, and the animals danced in delight, even the trees sang out, their branches and leaves rustlings in the gentle breeze.

  All of creation praised the One who had spoken and called them forth from nothing. The peace and the delight of the place flooded my soul, and I would have stood upon that ledge for a million years, but the angel gently touched my shoulder and said “it is time to go; you have witnessed all that He wanted you to see.”   And with sadness I turned away from the beautiful perfect scene below, turned away from the image of the man and the woman, walking with the Lover of my soul. I sighed deeply, and the angel spoke again, “be strong in the Lord, and in the sureness of His love and mercy, and remember His promises. He has redeemed you and called you by name, you are His. He will create new heavens and a new earth and all shall be as He intended it to be, be strong, hold fast, and run your race that He has laid out before you. Hold to the promise that He made that all will one day be as you have witnessed here.”

 And my eyes opened, my head upon my pillow, in my bed, the morning sunlight streaming through the window. I sat up, the scenes I had witnessed still vivid in my mind. Was it a dream? A vision? I know not, but I do know that He spoke to my soul, for it was renewed within me, and I arose with a song of praise on my lips, ready to go out, into a broken and hurting world, and share His peace, His love, and His mercy.

 The above story is fictional, and part of an exercise in creative writing that I am doing. I hope you enjoyed it. Although it is fictional and I had no such vision, no visit from an angel, no glimpse of my Lord walking in the garden, the story is built upon truths that we can rely on. Our world is broken, sin has marred it, evil and cruelty at times seem to run amok, but He is in control, He is working out His plan of redemption, and when all that He has ordained has come to pass, He will make all things right. Until then, hold fast to His promises, and be about His work.

Grace and peace be with you, now and forever. Amen