Only One Shot

David was equipped with his slingshot. He had hundreds–if not thousands–of hours of practice. He nailed Goliath with the first shot.

Did he have more than one shot?  Likely no. Goliath was going for him.  It was life and death.

God equips us for specific purposes in life. A Christian producer has experience in producing; a Christian football player has experience in his game; a Christian writer has experience in writing.   God sometimes uses people with no experience at all, but the majority of time  He uses people well versed with their craft. 

Paul was well educated and could think deep and combine words extraordinary well. BUT…God was his guide.  David was a wordsmith. BUT God was his source. Esther was charming. BUT…God was the one that opened hearts for her.

And so it was with all who were used who knew their craft. It wasn’t them trusting in their ability. It was God Almighty giving them success in their bold endeavors..

How it all works, no one knows. Did God–at the critical microsecond–alter David’s brain transmissions so several million would pull his biceps muscle just enough so the shot would hit its mark? Did God fire 57,000 transmissions of one of his neck muscles so he would see exactly how tot week his shot to hit it right?

 All of God’s plans for the human race rested on that shot.  Jesus was a direct descendant of David. David’s additions to Scripture and all of his downlines would have died that day if David had died. Jesus would have never been born. The eternal God’s plans would have been foiled. But he didn’t miss. 

How was the shot true? We will never know until we can ask God face-to-face. But one thing is certain: No matter how well we know our craft, we need our God at every moment. 

It is impossible for the mortal to achieve the work of the Immortal. Unless we abide in dependence and in the guidance of the eternal God, we cannot be used for His purposes. It is too high for us.  You cannot bolster yourself up to be a co-worker of the God who creates a galaxy of a hundred billion stars with a word.  All co-working with God requires the deepest humility; He is the potter ;we are the clay.  He makes the stone hit its mark.

God wants to help us. It is Him not us who brought us to being His children. He did. Because He deeply loves each of us. He knows what a blessing it is to co-work with Him, and He, in His love, opens the door wide and lavishes help upon us. 

We all need certain stones to land right. Rejoice that God cares more deeply than you’ll ever fully realize and boldly go forward as He leads. He will cause the right stones to hit sweetly beyond belief and you will thrill and rejoice in  when you see what your loving Father does for you…and for those you love.

“For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me. But You have saved us from our adversaries…” 
- Psalms 44:7

“Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,” – 2 Corinthians 3:5

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me, you can do nothing.…” – John 15:4,5

“O give us help against the adversary, For deliverance by man is in vain. Through God, we shall do valiantly, And it is He who will tread down our adversaries.” – Psalms 60:12