Today, on our next to the last day in Israel, (did I mention that I’m in ISRAEL?!) I did something that my young Sunday School self, eyes intently fixed on a flannelgraph board, could have only imagined.
I stood in the Valley of Elah where an epic battle took place between a giant Philistine soldier and a small Israelite shepherd boy, but this time instead of my eyes being fixed on pieces of flannel telling the story, I was looking at the very real hills that both armies occupied and the flat valley in between.
But if seeing the hills and valley was cool, walking along the dry streambed was absolutely surreal. Somewhere along this very stream, running through the Valley of Elah, the young boy David who would one day be one of the greatest Kings in Israel and forefather to Jesus stooped down, selected 5 smooth stones and readied himself to face a giant using slingshot warfare…..
God may have prepared the way for victory, but if David hadn’t chosen to do his part by walking down to that stream and choosing the stones that would become his only weapon, the battle would have been lost that day. So the question to us on Day 3 is, are we choosing our stones? I know it can be really scary to face the things that seem too big and too menacing and too impossible to manage, but it’s really not about that, right? God could swoop down and take care of each and every problem, care, heartache, worry and hard place in our lives if he chose to, but God has always sought relationship with us – for us to work with him in this life, and he’s abunadantly able to lead us if we will have the courage to follow.
I think God wants us to be willing to go into the battles we may be facing with faith, trusting him for the preparations, for the timing and ultimately, for victory in the battle. Our job is to just go to the stream and pick up some stones, like faith, love, peace, patience….and follow him. Just as we are. He’ll never lead us somewhere where he hasn’t prepared the way, and he’ll always, always be with us, no matter what.
Choosing Faith Over Fear,
Shellie ♥♥
See A Victory
Elevation Worship
When the darkness falls, it won’t prevail
‘Cause the God I serve knows only how to triumph
My God will never fail
Oh, my God will never fail
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord (oh yeah)
Every war He wages He will win
I’m not backing down from any giant
‘Cause I know how this story ends
Yes, I know how this story ends
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
Gonna worship my way through, hey
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You’re turning it around
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good, oh
The wicked have fallen, Lord
Lift your voice
Lift your voice
We all need to pick our stones for good and not evil. Blessings for a safe trip home.
Amen to that, and thank you!