July 11-The Battle’s Not Mine

Happy Thursday. How is life going for you? For me, it seems a little too busy. I’d like to slow it down a bit but I’m not sure where to start. There’s nothing particularly extraordinary that consumes me, it’s just simple ordinary tasks. And that’s what life seems to be—a series of ordinary days. There have been times of extraordinary, but mostly, those came while going through an ordinary day.  


That’s how it was for David when he went to take his brothers some supplies when they were in the army of King Saul defending Israel. The Hebrews had control of the hill country and the Philistines controlled the coastal plains. The buffer zone was a series of five valleys, one of which was the Valley of Elah where Goliath was taunting the Israelite army. 


Today, there’s nothing particularly remarkable about the Elah Valley. There’s a satellite dish on one hill, a wheat field, some greenhouses, a dry stream-bed that separates weeds—it looks like nothing special. But this place was a very strategic battlefield—perhaps the most strategic in all of Israel. The control of these valleys was a measure of Israel’s strength and the Valley of Elah connected Bethlehem (David’s hometown) and Gath (Saul’s hometown). 


“Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭17:2-3‬ ‭NIV‬‬


David’s day didn’t start out to take on the giant—he was just running an errand for his dad. God took the ordinary and it became extraordinary because David had been faithful. David wasn’t afraid to take on the big bully because he fully believed and trusted his God. What a great picture of faith! 


“David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied...All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”...So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭17:45, 47, 50‬ ‭NIV‬‬


When I was at Elah, I picked up 5 stones and brought them home. I wanted a reminder of what God did that day and what God still does for us when we are faithful and trust him. David lived 1,000s of days that we know nothing about but because he was faithful even on those days, we know about his history-making ones. He wasn’t perfect, but none of us are. I have come to realize that it’s not really my job to look for those big things—those giants to slay—but it is my place to be faithful everyday doing the ordinary.


Thank you Lord for stories of triumph! How they strengthen us and our resolve to faithfulness. You are our shield and strength and and we are blessed to call you our God. Help us Father to be ever mindful of the ordinary. Give us the grace to keep on with the usual and the simple so that we may be ready when you have something extraordinary for us. Please care for our friends and families who are struggling today with illness. Wrap them in you loving arms and let them feel you near. We love you Lord and we want to lift our voices to honor you. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam


PS. Pictures of Elah are on Facebook. 

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