Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
May 24, 2023
1 Samuel 17:41-50
41 The Philistine got closer and closer to David, and his shield-bearer was in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked David over, he sneered at David because he was just a boy; reddish brown and good-looking. 43 The Philistine asked David, “Am I some sort of dog that you come at me with sticks?” And he cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said to David, “and I’ll feed your flesh to the wild birds and the wild animals!” 45 But David told the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of heavenly forces, the God of Israel’s army, the one you’ve insulted. 46 Today the LORD will hand you over to me. I will strike you down and cut off your head! Today I will feed your dead body and the dead bodies of the entire Philistine camp to the wild birds and the wild animals. Then the whole world will know that there is a God on Israel’s side. 47 And all those gathered here will know that the LORD doesn’t save by means of sword and spear. The LORD owns this war, and he will hand all of you over to us.” 48 The Philistine got up and moved closer to attack David, and David ran quickly to the front line to face him. 49 David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone. He slung it, and it hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone penetrated his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50 And that’s how David triumphed over the Philistine with just a sling and a stone, striking the Philistine down and killing him—and David didn’t even have a sword!
Good Morning; God saves all who believe!
We are each blessed with unique gifts. This is no ordering of importance to any of these gifts. Within the body of believers, no one is more or less important than another. When we stand together, we are strong; when one must step back, another steps in their place. God is our leader, and we serve God by serving others.
There are many stories in the bible about how we are called. David delivers the Israelite people from a mighty giant with his sword in hand. David has no sword or armor. When he volunteered to face Goliath, the soldiers wanted to arm him with their tools of battle, but he carried only the tools of a shepherd. By the grace of God, David is victorious in a battle that seemed impossible to win. David believed in the power of God and stepped out in faith that God would save him.
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, he showed that God does not take forcefully but rules in the name of peace and love. His nemesis, Pilate, entered Jerusalem on a mighty stallion armed with a sword and surrounded by soldiers. Jesus had no armor, no sword, and he was surrounded by a group of ordinary people: fishermen, tax collectors, and even outcasts. Jesus came to save all God’s children with gentleness and love.
Even God’s chosen people struggled to understand the new way Jesus taught. The Pharisees could not see past the earthly values that held them tightly in their grip. Through the suffering, death, and resurrection of God’s only son, the world saw the power of God to conquer death. Those ordinary people who believed in and followed Jesus were the founders of God’s holy church. God uses the ordinary to fulfill extraordinary roles in the body of believers.
I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see.
Loving God, We thank you for Your blessings. We are broken and sinful, but You see the beauty within us. Help us allow the Holy Spirit to transform us into that which You see. Thank You! In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Only God can measure my worth.
All are precious in the sight of God! Pastor Liz
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