A Single Stone

6/22/2022

Written By: April Mills

We are all familiar with the classic story of David and Goliath. If you are like me, you likely learned it as a child in Sunday school. Let me tell you my very, very favorite part of the whole story. It’s the phrase, “Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone” (1 Samuel 17:49).

The Scripture didn’t say that David took out a handful of stones, but he took a stone, as in one, singular stone. David slew the giant Goliath with one little stone. A little stone taken from the stream of the Almighty God.

I rediscovered this famous Bible story some time ago, and of course, realized there was a lot more to it than I was taught as a child. For instance, did you know that Saul himself clothed David in his own armor, a bronze helmet and a coat of mail (1 Samuel 17:38) only to have David shrug it off saying “I cannot walk with these for I have not tested them (1 Sam 17:39).

Okay , I don’t know about you, but if it were me going up against Goliath, I would be wanting a little something to protect me. You know, like a TANK! Give me a shield, a sword, give me something! But this is what I love about the story, here is Goliath screaming to the wind “Come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field”, and what does David say in return? Does he say “Ha! Have to catch me first!”? Or how about “Your mama dresses you funny?!”

No! He looks the impossible in the face and declares to the world and all who can hear him that the Lord God will be the victor in today’s match up. David tells Goliath “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin, But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defiled” (1 Sam 17:45).

Somebody somewhere should be praising the Lord right about now for the sovereign, mighty power of God to move mountains and to take down giants.

I ask you today, what is your Goliath? What giant stands in your life, taunting you, threatening to scatter you to the wind? Is it your finances? Maybe an illness? A rocky marriage? We all have something in our lives that threatens to bring us to our knees in defeat. We all have something that looms tall before us, all-consuming and powerful, and seemingly impossible to ever conquer.

Left alone in our own strength it would be impossible to conquer. It would have been impossible for David to defeat such a foe if he had relied his own strength. What David did was rely on the strength of the Father, and defeated a giant with a single stone using his faith as the slingshot that delivered the deadly blow.

I encourage you to reach into your bag where you keep your stones of faith. Take a stone, place it in your slingshot, and deliver it with the strength of God to the giant that stands in your way today. Tell that giant, whatever it may be, that “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand” (1 Sam 17:46) and so then all the assembly will know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you unto our (my) hands (1Sam 17:47).

When that giant stares you in the face, mocking you, remember the shepherd boy who took that step of faith toward a merciless enemy. Remember that young man, who knew what God could and would do, and who prevailed over the enemy by the power of the Almighty God.

Prayer: Father God, help me reach into my bag of stones and, in faith, fire a stone at the giants in my life. Help my faith, as you did with David, and help me to remember the battle is Yours. Give me the courage to face my giants, knowing there is now mountain You can’t move, no sea You can’t part, and no problem too big for You. I trust You to help me. Amen.