Five Stone Pouch – One Stone Faith
In 1 Samuel 17 a remarkable story of faith emerges. This is the account of the army of Israel squaring off with the army of the Philistines. The Philistines were always hungry for war, it seemed. It was as if they had “little man syndrome.” They were little people from a very small country and it seems like they always had something to prove to the world.
Well, as it turned out, the little folks got them a giant named Goliath. Goliath stood about 9½ feet tall, and to any Jew of the day, that was a giant. The Philistine army challenged Israel’s army to a one-on-one battle with Goliath. One of our men will fight one of your men and the war will be won or lost depending on the man left standing.
The whole Israelite army was terrified and not one single man, including King Saul and his mighty men, were willing to take on the challenge.
As this was in the making, a little shepherd boy named David was sent by his father to check on the progress of the war and deliver some cheese and crackers to his brothers on the front. As David approached the scene, he heard ol’ Goliath shouting at the Israelites and it concerned him deeply. “Why didn’t someone do something? Why were they letting this man run his tongue that way?” David was perplexed by it all.
He recounted, to the king, of the great victories God had given him while tending his father’s sheep and spoke his mind on the matter of these pagans defying the armies of the Living God, and he volunteered to fight the man.
Saul dressed him up in his armor and it was too much for David. He took it all off, took his own staff in one hand and a sling in the other and took off to the showdown. On his way, he stopped long enough to gather five smooth stones, and if you look closely at the text, he put all five in his pouch.
As he approached Goliath, he let him know right quick that he was there in the name of God Almighty and broke and ran toward him. The five stones were still in his bag when he started to run. And, it wasn’t until he neared Goliath that he loaded the sling. One shot, one kill. That was all it took.
You see, David had a five stone pouch and a one stone faith. He was prepared for more if he needed it, but one stone would do. I think that is evidenced by not loading up until he was almost ready to deliver the blow.
Man, this makes the story of the mustard seed come alive. Faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. Is God telling us to only have a mustard seed worth of faith, or perhaps, a one stone faith? David had more than he needed to do the job, but more is better.
Empowered by God, one stone is enough. Empowered by God, one mustard seed is enough. But, having more than we need is even better. We face our Goliaths on a daily basis. And when we do, one God and one stone is enough, but it is awesome to know there is more there in case some other Goliath pops his head up also.
David did not know who might rush out and try to kill him to claim victory. He was confident of taking Goliath out, but he was also ready to use the same tactics on anyone else who tried to defame the name of the Living God.
Perhaps we need to have for ourselves a five stone pouch and a one stone faith. What do you think?