I shall not want…
Part of not being in want means that we always have exactly what we need to do what God calls us to do. That is an important thing to remember because there will be seasons where you don’t feel like that is the case. You will know God is calling you to something, but when you look at what you have you quickly will discover that you don’t have enough to do it. The reality is that your estimation of what you have and what is needed may be significantly different than what God sees.
David was facing a giant.
Not a figurative one, a real one.
Snarling, menacing, and powerful. He had the whole army of Israel quaking in its sandals. Well armed soldiers were unwilling to go toe to toe with this warrior.
Then up walks this kid with nothing. He had no military training, no mighty shield or sword. He was just a shepherd. The king offered him his armor but the kid wouldn’t take it. He knows what he has to do and walks out on the battlefield to face a monster of a man.
We can’t turn away from a train wreck, but I bet Israel’s soldiers didn’t want to watch what was about to happen.
It was a certain slaughter.
On the one side there was a killer, a champion warrior heads and shoulders above everyone else. He was well trained and well equipped for battle. He had the armor, the sword, a javelin, and a shield bearer ahead of him.
On the other side was this boy. A shepherd with nothing. It was a mismatch. The boy didn’t have enough to fight much less win. All he had was a sling and some stones. Paper may beat rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper. But in wartime, sword and shield beats sling and stone.
1 Samuel 17 tells how the story unfolds. We have gotten familiar with the story, but imagine hearing it for the first time. An seemingly unarmed boy versus a well trained giant assassin. This should not end well for the boy. He lacked what he needed be in the fight.
But what do you know? A real David versus Goliath story!
Sling and stone did beat shield and sword. David had exactly what he needed to face the giant. It may not have seemed like much, it may not have been by anyone else’s standards adequate for the fight, but it was enough. David was lacking for nothing.
Now you know that isn’t the only story we find in the Bible about God’s people having exactly what they need to accomplish what He calls them to do. After all, didn’t some disciples feed well over five thousand people with nothing more than a glorified happy meal? Five loaves and two fish didn’t appear to be enough to satisfy the growling stomachs of all those people, hangry folks. But, they wanted for nothing, lacked for nothing. They had exactly what they needed, even if from the outside world it looked like it wasn’t enough.
I don’t know what you are facing today. I don’t know what it is God is calling you to do. It may be to face some Goliath. It may be to feed a multitude. It could be some great opportunity or some perceived challenge. You may be tempted to look at whatever is ahead of you and think you can’t face it because you don’t have what you need. You may feel like you need an army and all you have is a sling and stones. You may think you need an all you can eat buffet and all you have is a snack pack. The Shepherd is leading you. You have everything you need. If He is leading you to it, He will provide what you need to get through it. It doesn’t matter what you bring to the table, trust your Shepherd. You may not have enough, but He always does.
Questions for Today
- What are some challenges you are facing right now?
- Do you feel like you have enough to face those challenges?
- If you were David, how would you have felt walking out to face that giant with only a sling in your hand?
- Why is it difficult to trust that God can use what you have to meet needs that seem so great?
Prayer for Today
Lord, help me remember that giants can fall by means of slings and stones when we trust You. Today, let me see the resources you’ve entrusted to me not through my own eyes, but through Yours. I have exactly what I need to face whatever You lead me toward. Let me rely on both Your direction and Your provision.
Amen.
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