One Small Stone

      It was the time of the prophet Samuel and God had just "fired" Saul.  He told Samuel not to grieve anymore because He was about to do a "new thing" (1 Samuel 16:1).   Samuel, under God's direction anointed a small, but ruddy young man to take his place.  Soon this young man came under Saul's service as his armor-bearer.   With his stringed instrument, David would play and whatever was troubling Saul would leave him.

      Fast forward to a meeting with the bothersome Philistines.  As Saul and his forces faced the Philly's, Goliath of Gath, a 9 foot tall giant stepped forward with a challenge:  "Choose one of your men . . . if he wins a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants.  But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us." (1 Samuel 17:8-9)

     Enter David.  A youth.  A young person.  Some might say at first glance "heady and foolish".  But he possessed a boldness that did not derive from his own strength, but rather his small and hidden victories God had given him in the fields during his youth.  Never once did David display fear, but only confidence in the Living God.

    We can learn a few important lessons from David in this instance:  

1.  Be fearless.  Its okay to be confident as we stand against the struggles of this life as long as we know where our confidence comes from.  Be fearless, because God is fearless and you can be confident in His strength.


  As stated above, David looked to his past history with God to find the strength to confront Goliath.  This leads to lesson number two.

  2.    Remember the past.  But, not the defeats and depression.  On the contrary, call to mind the victories, even the tiny ones.  Especially the tiny ones.  They have value in our lives.  They can help us confront the giants in our path with confidence.  David said clearly:  "The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine."  1 Samuel 17: 37


  3. Watch out for over-complicated plans dressed in mere human ingenuity.  With God, the weaker and the simpler, the better.  

      Saul gave David his huge, ornate armor.  It didn't fit.  Its that simple.  If it doesn't "fit" don't do it.  The ornate and heavy armor was not David's protection.  It wasn't part of God's plan.  Usually God goes by this policy:  "The weaker, the more vulnerable, the simpler, the better".   Why?  Because in that place, God's strength can shine through.


       One Small Stone:  In so many ways the stone(s) in this story can easily be compared to prayer.  And, especially prayer where we fling or declare God's Word over a situation or problem.  As we lean on God's strength through prayer, and stand on God's Word, we are filled with a Godly confidence which overcomes any "giant" we may face in this life.  Its not crafty.  Its not fancy.  Its not complicated.  But, it takes humility to fall on this faithful, but simple weapon.  Sometimes we would rather do everything else BUT pray.  We want to talk it over with our friends.  We want to seek out creative solutions.  These aren't bad, and in fact can be healthy.   But these avenues, apart from a conversation with God, will not take us where we need to go which is deep into God's heart.  We have to lean.  We have to be weak.  We have to realize that its not the size of plans or our vain ingenuity which leads to victory.  Its in our weakness that we find our strength.  Its in the place of prayer -talking to The Living God- that we overcome.