Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Faith in Action

Faith in Action

"Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them into the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine."
1 Samuel 17:40, NIV

Many of you, like me, will know the story of David and Goliath from childhood. Yet on reading this passage again recently I wondered, ‘why choose five stones when only one was necessary, and why a staff?’

Perhaps we’re a little like David in that situation? There are times when we’re uncertain about what might be necessary as we move on to serve the Lord. As the saying goes, we equip ourselves with ‘belt and braces!’

David’s faith in God motivated him to go out alone against Goliath. His experiences of God enabling him to overpower a lion and a bear were sufficient for him to trust God in this situation. He knew he could overcome the enemy single-handed.

When we face a difficult situation, are we able to look back and recall those times where God has enabled us to overcome? Can we testify of His powerful intervention? This encourages us to ‘step out in faith’ believing He will help us.

Our God is such an amazing God. He has promised to ‘never leave or forsake us’ when we go in obedience to do what He has called us to do (Deuteronomy 31:6). David was so confident that God would enable him to defeat Goliath that he could discard Saul’s armour and take the simple things God had given him the skill to use.

As we face the difficult situations of life, let’s first recall God’s faithfulness and help and thank Him for those experiences. Then, encouraged, let’s look to Him to make us an overcomer, through the strength and ability He has equipped us with. Furthermore, as we experience the victory He gives, let’s not forget to give Him all the glory, for without His help we would only fail.

Prayer: Father God, I thank You for all those past experiences of Your help and enabling, when I have been successful in difficult situations. As I face fresh challenges, I ask You to help me overcome with Your strength, as I offer to You the gifts and abilities You’ve put within me, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Today's Writer : David Silvester David Silvester is married and has a son, two daughters and eight grandchildren. He trained as a production engineer. He then moved on to become a lecturer of engineering craft skills before being called of God in his early fifties to become a pastor of a Baptist church. He says that,"having previously experienced an amazing healing on a day others expected me to die, it came as no surprise that God directed me and my wife, Margaret, to become involved with Ellel Ministries."

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