Monday Night Devotional (4/28)

Finding The Balance In The Battle

1 Samuel 17:48–50 ESV

48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him.

Notice how verse 48 says, “David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.”

Many Christians struggle at this point, does God do what he has called us to do or do we do it? The answer is Yes. God does it and we do it too. We need to trust God, depend on Him, and then we need to get to work and work as hard as we can – run right at the enemy. That is how the will of God is done. David modeled this for us:

He knew God was calling him to fight and kill Goliath. He could have left it all to God to kill Goliath whether that was doing it himself or through someone else, but instead of leaving it all to God, he did his part, and in doing so he killed Goliath. Goliath died, because David found the Balance in the Battle. And that means is, David did his part, and let God do God’s part. There was a Balance and So what was David’s part and what was God’s part?

David’s Part

Ultimately it was to trust in God, but there were actions he took as an act of that trust

David, being a shepherd, was faithful to God even before the Battle

He protected his sheep from lions and bears,

Got skilled with his sling

To run QUICKLY to meet Goliath, not hesitantly, not fearfully, but QUICKLY.

With calm aim, and a calm hand, with absolute trust in God, he took out a stone, slung it and killed Goliath.

God’s part

God used lions and bears to prepare David for Goliath before hand

To meet David’s every need on the battlefield,

Giving him peace

Giving him the strength to fulfill his calling

For the stone to actually be effective enough to kill Goliath

Goliath was slain because David found the Balance in the Battle. David did David’s part, and he let God do God’s part.

Just like David, I had to find the Balance in the Battle for this message. I had to research some things before hand, that’s the part I played, now I have to rely on God and trust in him that he will retain the information in my mind that he had me prepare for, so that I could faithfully preach his Word.

In David’s case, his battle was against Goliath, but in you’re case, your current battle may be work, school, a relationship, whatever it may be, pray to God for the next step that he wants from you, and walk in those steps, and most importantly let God do his part as well.

Everything we do, we need to find the Balance in every Battle. Once one battle ends, another begins. We need to constantly be doing our part but also letting God do his part.

 “The lazy-bones of our orthodox churches cry, ‘God will do his own work’; and then they look out the softest pillow they can find, and put it under their heads, and say, ‘The eternal purposes will be carried out: God will be glorified.’ That is all very fine talk, but it can be used with the most mischievous design. You can make opium out of it, which will lull you into a deep and dreadful slumber, and prevent your being of any kind of use at all.” (Spurgeon)