In the Valley of Elah

There comes a time in every man's life when he must do what he was meant to do. Such are the moments that either make or break a man. Such are the moments that define him.

God moments.

We find several of these in the Bible: Abram packing up his whole life and leaving Ur at God's say so. Noah picking up the hammer and chisel after being warned of the coming Deluge. Israel wrestling the Angel of the Lord...and losing. Moses taking off his sandals before the Burning Bush. Joshua fearfully stepping up to take over Moses' vacancy.

And perhaps, the most famous of all - David finding himself before a giant in the valley of Elah.

He didn't set out to pick a fight. He simply obeyed his father's orders to bring some food for his warrior-brothers who were doing everything but fight. And seeing the fight and finding none in it, David stepped up to the plate and into his God moment.

And Israel, and all of history since then until today, would never forget that "one brief shining moment" that would flash blindingly from the valley and on into the collective memories of all of mankind for as long as there are those who will tell of its story.

Since then, so many men and women, in so many other times and places, have found themselves in Elah, face to face with their personal Goliath.

For some, the fight was as public and as furious as David's was. For many, many countless others, their God-moment was in the privacy of a bedroom. Or a boardroom. Or in the lonely chambers of their very own heart.

Only God knows how many truly slew, and how many others were really slain.

God moments. They either make us or break us. Either way, they reveal who we really are, what we're really made of.

Tomorrow, I go to Elah.