And David said,

"The LORD who delivered me

from the paw of the lion

   and the paw of the bear

will deliver me

from the hand of this Philistine."

                1 Samuel 17. 37

(Past tense

          and present tense,

a chronicle of

         God's faithfulness.

By strengthening us

               in the past,

God has equipped us

              for the now.

"Remember when....."

God is not about

   to abandon us now.

There will always be giants,

but God specializes

       in impossible situations

that we would know

   it is not our strength,

                but His.

It is not us,

                but Him.

"Do not fear.

   I am with you.")

O LORD,

We dwell in the land of giants,

but we walk with You

     through the scary stuff.

Help us to realize that

   deliverance does not mean

   the absence of trouble

or being plucked away,

but going through the brambles

         and the mine fields

in Your name

and for Your glory

               all over it.

That others would know

           that You are God.

That we would realize

           that You are the LORD.

Be Thou our strength

               our shield

          and our vision.

Even today.

Even in this.