Making Champions out of Nobodies
I have already given you a little of David's background. For all intensive purposes David was a "nobody." He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He dad was no great leader. He was an unknown until he shows up 1st Samuel 16. But that's one of the things that is amazing about God. We serve a God who specializes in making Champions out of Nobodies! I like to say that He makes Holy Garments from flawed material. This leads us to the discussion about Shammah. Shammah was one of David's three key mighty men. Let's take a look at his background.
The Bible does not tell us much about Shammah. All we pretty much know about him is his name, his father's name, and his hometown. Now, since names were so important in Biblical times, we can look up the meanings of the names to see if we can learn anything about him. The name Shammah means: wasted, desolate or good for nothing. Ouch not something you would want to name your child.
So we can assume that he had a pretty rough start. How would you like to go through school with a name that means "good for nothing"? Since that was a rough one, let's look at his father's name. His father's name is Agee. Agee means fugitive or outlaw. Double Ouch!! That did not help. If anything it made the situation worse. If all we do is glean from significance of the names, then Shammah was a wasted, desolate good for nothing who was the son of a fugitive outlaw. Not a pretty picture.
But wait, what about their hometown. They were from Harar. While the Bible does not say much about Harar, Biblical historians tell us the following about Hararites: they were mountain dwellers who were a very insignificant group in history. So basically Shammah was a nobody, who was the son of a nobody, who came from a group of nobodies. How do you like that resume? If God was not involved in this story then you would never think that Shammah would amount to anything. But once God gets involved everything changes. Hallelujah!!
The awesome thing about God is that He does not have to consult your past when designing your future! Shammah was one of David's three key mighty men. He did not have a special pedigree, but God's hand was on his life. Give yourself over to God and He will use you for His glory!
So what does this mean to you ? A few things:
1. Don't judge your future by your past! God specializes in making Champions out of Nobodies!
2. You + God = Victory, every time! Once God gets involved in your life, then all bets are off. There is no limit to what God can do; if He did it for others He can do it for you!
3. In God it's about availability, not ability! There are many people out there that may be more gifted, more talented, better connected, and with more money that you, but as long as you avail yourself to God the impossible can become possible in your life!
It depends whose hands it's in. A basketball in my hands is only worth about $20.00, in Kobe Bryant's hands it's worth 5 championships. A baseball bat in my hands is only worth about $50.00, but in Albert Pulhols' hands it's worth several batting titles.
Two fish and five loaves in the little boy's hands was only worth about one lunch, but in Jesus' hands it fed 5,000. Shammah's life in his hands was an uphill battle to get out of his past, but in God's hands his life was able to make a difference.
Whose hands is your life in? Once you fully commit your life to God, and put your future in His hands, then He can make a Champion out of you!
Father, I thank You for making a difference in, with, and through me. I refuse to judge my future by my past. I will not disqualify myself from what You have already qualified me for. Thank You for not looking at my qualifications and for seeing something in me worth investing in. I declare, by faith, that I will be worth the investment. I look forward ever, backward never. I give myself fully over to You, I place my life in Your hands, and I truly believe that You will do awesome things with me. Father, I thank You in advance for making a Champion out of me! In Jesus' name. Amen!
I have already given you a little of David's background. For all intensive purposes David was a "nobody." He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He dad was no great leader. He was an unknown until he shows up 1st Samuel 16. But that's one of the things that is amazing about God. We serve a God who specializes in making Champions out of Nobodies! I like to say that He makes Holy Garments from flawed material. This leads us to the discussion about Shammah. Shammah was one of David's three key mighty men. Let's take a look at his background.
The Bible does not tell us much about Shammah. All we pretty much know about him is his name, his father's name, and his hometown. Now, since names were so important in Biblical times, we can look up the meanings of the names to see if we can learn anything about him. The name Shammah means: wasted, desolate or good for nothing. Ouch not something you would want to name your child.
So we can assume that he had a pretty rough start. How would you like to go through school with a name that means "good for nothing"? Since that was a rough one, let's look at his father's name. His father's name is Agee. Agee means fugitive or outlaw. Double Ouch!! That did not help. If anything it made the situation worse. If all we do is glean from significance of the names, then Shammah was a wasted, desolate good for nothing who was the son of a fugitive outlaw. Not a pretty picture.
But wait, what about their hometown. They were from Harar. While the Bible does not say much about Harar, Biblical historians tell us the following about Hararites: they were mountain dwellers who were a very insignificant group in history. So basically Shammah was a nobody, who was the son of a nobody, who came from a group of nobodies. How do you like that resume? If God was not involved in this story then you would never think that Shammah would amount to anything. But once God gets involved everything changes. Hallelujah!!
The awesome thing about God is that He does not have to consult your past when designing your future! Shammah was one of David's three key mighty men. He did not have a special pedigree, but God's hand was on his life. Give yourself over to God and He will use you for His glory!
So what does this mean to you ? A few things:
1. Don't judge your future by your past! God specializes in making Champions out of Nobodies!
2. You + God = Victory, every time! Once God gets involved in your life, then all bets are off. There is no limit to what God can do; if He did it for others He can do it for you!
3. In God it's about availability, not ability! There are many people out there that may be more gifted, more talented, better connected, and with more money that you, but as long as you avail yourself to God the impossible can become possible in your life!
It depends whose hands it's in. A basketball in my hands is only worth about $20.00, in Kobe Bryant's hands it's worth 5 championships. A baseball bat in my hands is only worth about $50.00, but in Albert Pulhols' hands it's worth several batting titles.
Two fish and five loaves in the little boy's hands was only worth about one lunch, but in Jesus' hands it fed 5,000. Shammah's life in his hands was an uphill battle to get out of his past, but in God's hands his life was able to make a difference.
Whose hands is your life in? Once you fully commit your life to God, and put your future in His hands, then He can make a Champion out of you!
Father, I thank You for making a difference in, with, and through me. I refuse to judge my future by my past. I will not disqualify myself from what You have already qualified me for. Thank You for not looking at my qualifications and for seeing something in me worth investing in. I declare, by faith, that I will be worth the investment. I look forward ever, backward never. I give myself fully over to You, I place my life in Your hands, and I truly believe that You will do awesome things with me. Father, I thank You in advance for making a Champion out of me! In Jesus' name. Amen!
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