³¹ Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. ³² Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

³³ And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”

³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, ³⁵ I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” ³⁷ Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

³⁸ So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. ³⁹ David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.

⁴⁰ Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. 

1 Samuel 17:31-40

Dear God, I had a few thoughts as I read through this story this morning.

• You gave David life experiences that prepared him for the job you put in front of him.
• You gave David insight into the fact that he had done these things because you had done them through him.
• What was Saul’s thinking here? Was he just so emotionally locked up that he was ready to accept any half-witted plan, or did the prophecy gift return to him long enough for you to tell him that he should believe in David’s ability to do this outlandish thing?
• There had to have been something in David’s appearance to Goliath (shepherd boy with a staff) that gave David the advantage because Goliath underestimated him.

I really want to lean into the life experience part of this story. You rarely ask us to step out and do something you haven’t prepared us for. For example, the jobs I had leading up to my current job uniquely prepared me. Not that I didn’t have a lot to still learn when I got there, or that I don’t still have a lot to learn. But you prepared me for the basics in a unique way. And you also gave me a unique set of skills to do the job. But they are from you. The experience is from you. The gifts and talents are from you.

That’s another part of this: The knowledge of you as the source of the provision. David could have said, “King, I kill bears and lions all the time. I’ve got this.” But he invoked you in his story: “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” That might be a harder part for me. Sometimes, I really want to take credit. But I think back on the times I was unemployed in 2003 and 2005, and you answered our prayers and provided for us. Sometimes I was frustrated with you because I thought you were too quiet, but you were there. And in retrospect I could see what you were doing. You gave me experience with you in little things so that as big things came along I could turn to you and have faith that, if you wanted it done, you would provide.

Then there’s the part about Goliath underestimating David. Underestimating you. But I suppose we will get into that more tomorrow.

Father, show me when it is time to lay down all the weapons the world wants to arm me with and simply pick up my five smooth stones. Remind me of the times you came through for me and sustained me–especially when I am in the middle of the storm. You have given me good skills. You have proven yourself to me time and time again. Help me to lean into that in my life today.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen