"He chose five stones. Even though he had complete confidence that God was on his side and the giant would be defeated, still, he chose five stones. In case the first one didn't work? In case the first four didn't work? We know it only took one, but we have the vantage of hindsight and Hebrew scribes. He had nothing but his stature and a slingshot to count on. And the faithfulness of his God."
The story hasn't changed much from my point of view, the circumstances are different this year (they always will be), but the story is the same: which stone will do the work of the kingdom? Which path will usher the kingdom of God here on earth and, with so many choices in front of me, how can I ever choose the right one?
The answer, I am finding, is in the relinquishing of those five stones. If David had kept them in his pouch, handling them, letting them sift through his fingers, like sand and time, then those giants would still be lumbering above. But obedience for him was not the slaughtering of the giant, but the slinging of the stone. It was in God's hands to finish the job, but in David's hands to be available and faithful.
If the first hadn't worked, I am convinced his faith would not have faltered--there were still four more for the hand of His God to be displayed. Perhaps, if he had worked through the first four and had been left with the last one to produce the promised action, we would have a different sort of lesson to learn altogether, something about belief in promises that don't seem to happen. But he didn't.
The first one worked. He acted in obedience. Gathering more than enough resources, but needing only one. His eyes were not on the work to be accomplished, giants are everywhere after all, but on the immediate task at hand.
What may be your portion tomorrow is not your business today.Today's portion is to throw the stone.
Elisabeth Elliot
