While preparing my car to be sold, I came across five stones under my car seat. A few years back, my family and I were on our way to a revival in Texas when our car broke down. We were stranded next to a wildlife preserve for almost eight hours.. but, that's a tale for another time! While we were sitting on the side of the road, I picked five stones that I could use for a sermon. Something happened and they shifted under the seat, only to be rediscovered today.
The Bible says that when David confronted the Giant named Goliath, he chose five smooth stones from a river. There have been many sermons through the years about why he chose five stones. When I was a child growing up in Sunday School, the teacher said it represented JESUS. Five stones, five letters: J – E – S – U – S. That worked for me until I was about fourteen and I began to study on my own and found out that Jesus’ name is YESHUA. Ot-Oh! Six letters - that really didn’t work for me. When I was an older teen, someone pointed out that if you count the names listed in scripture as Goliath’s brothers; you’ll find that he had four brothers. Wow! That’s cool! (“Cool” is as hip as I get… I was a Pentecostal teenager in the 1970’s.) David really had faith!!! He stepped out to face Goliath and was prepared to deal with Goliath’s brothers. I still wonder… what happened to the other stones.
Today, I have been thinking about my place in GOD’s work. I’ve been preaching since I was 16, I’ve traveled all over this beautiful country of ours preaching revivals and camps, and I find myself now not as active as I was in the past. I find myself pondering… what’s next? The inner feeling of being a preacher without a pulpit and a pastor without a flock is hard for someone that hasn’t served in those roles to understand. But I digress…
Five stones were in David’s pouch. Each one was chosen by him for the battle. When David reached into his pouch and placed his hand on the stones, one was pulled out for the moment. Four was left in the pouch. All five entered the battle, only one was used. If David had missed with the first stone, he would have reached in again for another. But that day David didn’t have to select another stone. The BIG job was done. Neither the Bible nor history tells us what happened with the other four stones. If stones had emotions, I believe they would have felt it was an honor just to be selected, simply to be in the service of our GOD for just a moment.
I don’t believe for a moment that my work for the LORD JESUS is over. But if it is, I’m honored that for a moment HIS hand touched and used me that way.
