I’ve been thinking a lot about the story of David and Goliath. The story feels like metephor for the “long-shot-one-in-a-million” attempt we are making as a church to make the former Wright Brothers Lincoln Mercury our new venue.
There are so many great insights you can take away from the story:
David didn’t show up to fight a giant….he came to deliver lunch. (Doing what needs to be done can give us the opportunity for greatness.)
David chose not to accept the Kings offer of armor and weaponry because it “didn’t fit”. (Be who God created you to be.)
David believed God would help him defeat Goliath…but scripture says he “carefully selected five smooth stones” for his sling. (Be Prepared)
I keep thinking about one particular part of the story…one moment, actually. I wonder what David was thinking in the few split seconds after the stone left his sling shot, before it connected with the enormous head of Goliath the giant? I wonder what David felt as he “let go”? I wonder if those few split seconds felt like an eternity as all of his efforts…all of his courage…all of his faith in the Almighty God, were invested in that one flying stone…a stone that was now completely out of his hands?
“Letting Go” is difficult. It’s sobering to think that all of your preparations are over, and the outcome depends completely on events that are “out of your hands”. I think that’s where we are as a church. We’ve made our preparations. We’ve taken our ridiculous stand in front of the giant. We’ve met with bankers, lawyers, preachers, and anyone else who would listen to our story. We’ve gathered a few “smooth stones” along the way…but nothing that looks like it can seriously defeat the giant.
It’s time to let go. Time to pray and trust that God will guide whatever feeble efforts we have made. “Our property” goes up for sherriff sale next tuesday. It’s out of our hands. Not every “idiot” who stands up to a giant wins…some get clobbered. :-)
I’d love for you to join us in prayer as our puny pebble flies through the air…