Monday 19 April 2010

Sunday Blessings; 5 Stones to Keep Ready

Last night I read this devotional to my mother to encourage both of us as we face the challenges of life. I try to prevent my Mom from watching too much alarming news on TV. Sometimes she gets overtly concerned watching all the disasters and catastrophies. And I also worry about various problems and issues I face. We have plenty of reasons to get discouraged .Then its time to pause and remember the Lord 's faithfulness to us.

Take Goliath Down

by Max Lucado

Goliaths still roam our world. Debt. Disaster. Dialysis. Danger. Deceit. Disease. Depression. Super-size challenges still swagger and strut, still pilfer sleep and embezzle peace and liposuction joy. But they can’t dominate you. You know how to deal with them. You face giants by facing God first. Focus on giants—you stumble.Focus on God—your giants tumble. You know what David knew, and you do what David did. You pick up five stones, and you make five decisions. Ever wonder why David took five stones into battle? Why not two or twenty? Rereading his story reveals five answers. Use your five fingers to remind you of the five stones you need to face down your Goliath. Let your thumb remind you of …

1. THE STONE OF THE PASTGoliath jogged David’s memory. Elah was a déjà vu. While everyone else quivered, David remembered. God had given him strength to wrestle a lion and strong-arm a bear. Wouldn’t he do the same with the giant? A good memory makes heroes. “Remember His marvelous works which He has done” (1 Chron. 16:12). Catalog God’s successes. Keep a list of his world records. Has he not walked you through high waters? Proven to be faithful? Have you not known his provision? How many nights have you gone to bed hungry? Mornings awakened in the cold? He has made roadkill out of your enemies. Write today’s worries in sand. Chisel yesterday’s victories in stone. Pick up the stone of the past. Then select …

2. THE STONE OF PRAYERNote the valley between your thumb and finger. To pass from one to the next you must go through it. Let it remind you of David’s descent. Before going high, David went low; before ascending to fight, David descended to prepare. Don’t face your giant without first doing the same. Dedicate time to prayer. Paul, the apostle, wrote, “Prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long” (Eph. 6:18 MSG).Prayer spawned David’s successes. His Brook Besor wisdom grew out of the moment he “strengthened himself in the Lord his God” (1 Sam. 30:6). When Saul’s soldiers tried to capture him, David turned toward God: “You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble” (Ps. 59:16). Invite God’s help. Pick up the stone of prayer. And don’t neglect …
3. THE STONE OF PRIORITYLet your tallest finger remind you of your highest priority: God’s reputation. David jealously guarded it. No one was going to defame his Lord. David fought so that “all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Sam. 17:46–47).David saw Goliath as a chance for God to show off! Did David know he would exit the battle alive? No. But he was willing to give his life for the reputation of God.What if you saw your giant in the same manner? Rather than begrudge him, welcome him. Your cancer is God’s chance to flex his healing muscles. Your sin is God’s opportunity to showcase grace. Your struggling marriage can billboard God’s power. See your struggle as God’s canvas. On it he will paint his multicolored supremacy. Announce God’s name and then reach for …
4. THE STONE OF PASSION David ran, not away from, but toward his giant. On one side of the battlefield, Saul and his cowardly army gulped. On the other, Goliath and his skull-splitters scoffed. In the middle, the shepherd boy ran on his spindly legs. Who bet on David? Who put money on the kid from Bethlehem? Not the Philistines. Not the Hebrews. Not David’s siblings or David’s king. But God did. And since God did, and since David knew God did, the skinny runt became a blur of pumping knees and a swirling sling. He ran toward his giant.Do the same! Let your ring finger remind you to take up the stone of passion. One more stone, and finger, remains:
5. THE STONE OF PERSISTENCEDavid didn’t think one rock would do. He knew Goliath had four behemoth relatives. For all David knew, they’d come running over the hill to defend their kin. David was ready to empty the chamber if that’s what it took.Imitate him. Never give up. One prayer might not be enough. One apology might not do it. One day or month of resolve might not suffice. You may get knocked down a time or two … but don’t quit. Keep loading the rocks. Keep swinging the sling. David took five stones. He made five decisions. Do likewise. Past. Prayer. Priority. Passion. And persistence. Next time Goliath wakes you up, reach for a stone. Odds are, he’ll be out of the room before you can load your sling.
From Facing Your GiantsCopyright (Thomas Nelson, 2005) Max Lucado

14 Fertilize my soul:

Holly, the Old Western Gal said...

Yes, the news can depress a person quickly!

Abigail Jasmine said...

I like this stone analogy! So interesting. You are always sharing the neatest, and most interesting things!

I love reading Missionary's stories, and the Thomas Hale one sounds so wonderful! I hope to indeed read it!

Is the heat there in India getting really hot? A few friends just left South Korea for a month stay in India!!

Blessings to you sweet sister
*HuGs*

Amrita said...

Hi Holly, hope the weather in TX is pleasant.
Yes I try to protect my Mom from news which might alarm her.

Amrita said...

Yes Abigail, the heat is just blasting away.Its touched 115*.

There some S. Koreans living in my city. I see them in Christian meetings, never spoken to them.


I presume to survive the heat they must be having air conditioners.

Becka said...

I also love to hear this stories,
I love your post that you do always.
Hugs, Becka

Nadwrażliwiec said...

Very wise note.
Sometimes we all are David. I don't know any people who never had problems in their live - sometimes small, like exam, sometimes big, like death loved person or child.
But God can use these problems to test us. To make us like the best silver.

monsoon dreams said...

interesting post,amrita.
i too get so anxious reading the newspapers and watching tv.so many disasters,different types of crimes,stories of people who have no human values,poverty...to name a few.

Buttercup said...

Thanks, Amrita. This is a keeper. We have been studying King David in our bible study and have been giving much thought about David. I need to hold on to these thoughts. It is so easy to be discouraged.

Felisol said...

Dear Amrita,
Thanks for seeking good, uplifting reading in times of trouble.
I certainly will keep on loading stones..

Also thanks for your prayers; they are more valuable than gold.
Yours Felisol

Crown of Beauty said...

I would have written the first comment here last night, if the signal allowed my comment to go through, but the connection kept getting re set for some reason, and my comment was deleted thrice last night.

So here I am trying again.

This is a good and timely post. Thanks for sharing it.

And the question you asked me about the Walkway Reflections, you can go to the Introduction of the series (I put links under each Walkway post) where I explained what it was. It was a series of 14 stations of the cross put up by Church Simplified at an upscale mall in Manila. What I posted on my blog were pictures I took of the exhibits and my own personal reflections.

Love
Lidj

Mel Avila Alarilla said...

In order to be reassured of God's faithfulness to His promises, we have to claim His promise in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on you own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." In all the bad news all over the world, it's nice to know that God will never leave us nor forsake us. Thanks for the post. God bless you all always.

Amrita said...

A single - physically challenged woman living in a male dominated hostile society is a great challenge for my my friends. Many of my burdens and fears take root from there

Amrita said...

Thank you for that info Lidj

Sita said...

When we look at the 'issues' that surround us--they are large and looming--threatening--how can we not feel apprehension--
then we look up--our God--greater than all that surrounds us--how can we not feel peace---
for as the song I posted this morning says..."it's all Yours, God..."
May the 'sight' of God bring you and your mom the peace that you need in the 'fires' that you walk through...
Love, Sita