“Then he took his staff in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, that is, in his shepherd’s pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.” (I Samuel 17: 40 NASB)
You will learn a lot from the following excerpt from an old “Daily Bread” publication about David choosing five smooth stones. What you gain will be beneficial. But I hope you also take away these two lessons: (1) Continue digging deeper after being taught God’s word. Don’t let the dialogue stop in the sanctuary or the classroom. See what else God has to say. (2) Be one of research and be resourceful. Nobody knows everything. At least that is true for me.
Now read the excerpt below as I fulfill the promise that I made a couple of days ago to write about the five stones David selected in the well-known account of David and Goliath. Make sure to follow the aforementioned lessons above and look up the cited Scriptures. Meditate and find the word of God profitable and specifically applicable to you.
“Why more than one stone? Wasn’t David a man of faith? Did he doubt that God would give him perfect timing and aim as he used his trusty sling to take on the enemy of the Lord? Certainly, he needed only a single small pebble to accomplish his mission. But wait, there were at least four other giants (See2 Sam. 21:15-22.). They might rally to Goliath’s defense if something went wrong. Perhaps David had prepared for them. Trusting the Lord implicitly, he chose one stone for the champion of the Philistines and just enough to be ready for any others if they attacked.
Why did he choose “smooth stones?” Well, you can shoot much more accurately with the proper ammunition. He had faith, but he also used sanctified common sense. He didn’t foolishly say, “The Lord is going to do it anyway, so I’ll just pick up any old, jagged rocks.” No, he recognized human responsibility as well as Divine providence and selected shiny, round stones that would speed straight to the mark.”
Did you get any food for thought? I pray that you did. Be blessed!
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:15-16)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King