Prepared for God’s Plan
Katie Dodwell (England, United Kingdom)


David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” - 1 Samuel 17:45 (NRSVUE)




The first time I heard the story of David and Goliath I was a child, sitting on the floor with my friends, looking up at my Sunday school teacher as she flipped through a picture book. The book described how a young shepherd defeated a giant with just a sling and a stone.

It wasn’t until recently, while reading the book of 1 Samuel for the first time, that I discovered an important detail about David. Growing up keeping his father’s sheep meant that David had to protect the flock from predators. If a lion or bear tried to take one of the sheep, David would strike the animal and rescue the sheep, bringing it back to safety. David was smart, agile, and capable of taking on beings much bigger and stronger than he was, even before he faced Goliath.

So, it wasn’t a fluke that David knocked out Goliath with one hit from a stone. In fact, God had been preparing him for this very moment. David knew he was ready!

Sometimes we may feel we lack the knowledge or skills to do what God calls us to do. But God prepares us for the challenges we face. We can take comfort in knowing that through the power of the Holy Spirit we already have exactly what we need to be victorious.



TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for the gifts you’ve given us. Help us to have the confidence and conviction of David. Amen.


-----------------



TODAY'S READING
1 Samuel 17:32-37


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
God works in me and through me.


PRAYER FOCUS
Those who feel ill-equipped