Morning Devotional

May 28, 2005
"Smooth as Glass" 
    by Don Emmitte

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"Don't worry about a thing," David told Saul. "I'll go fight this Philistine!" "Don't be ridiculous!" Saul replied. "There is no way you can go against this Philistine. You are only a boy, and he has been in the army since he was a boy!" But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father's sheep," he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and take the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The LORD who saved me from the claws of the lion and the bear will save me from this Philistine!" Saul finally consented. "All right, go ahead," he said. "And may the LORD be with you!" (1 Samuel 17:32-37 NLT).

That’s how the story begins. It is one of the most often told stories from the Old Testament. David was a shepherd boy who came up against the gigantic warrior, Goliath, and with just a slingshot and a few little stones. What a hero! He zapped the enemy in one fell blow, straight to the head. There are so many different things in it that I am tempted to spend a lot of time in this chapter!

However, the part I want to focus on this morning is when it is recalled that David “took his (shepherd's) staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand... David said to the Philistine (giant), 'You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ... This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down... All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.'”

Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. So David triumphed ... without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him! Did you notice that the stones David selected were smooth? They were not big, heavy boulders. They were small stones that had been continually washed by the river waters. They were more fit for use against the enemy than rougher, larger, more rugged stones.

David knew that. He had spent a lot of time outdoors, by himself, taking care of the flocks of sheep for his father. He'd had plenty of time to practice with his slingshot. He knew how to use it. He knew which stones would be best. So does God! In our various journeys, as we are constantly washed by the waters of life, we too become more smooth; more fit to be used. As I was thinking of this, I couldn't help but think that it would be good for me to quit struggling so often, and to just go with the flow. Smooth stones are good. Maybe that’s something you should do as well.