Preparation...

...Or just enough?

There is a little known story in the Bible about a young son who tended his father's sheep.  He was the youngest of eight boys.  Although he had been anointed as the future king of Israel, he often found himself playing the harp for the current king.  In one notable moment, however, he found himself in the midst of a fight with some terrible men who wanted to destroy Israel and make her a slave to their nation.  I'm sure none of this is sounding familiar so I'll go ahead and tell you the child's name was David.  The enemy was Goliath of the Philistines.

Oh, you've heard this story?  You recognize the plot and can fill in the details I've left out?  Wonderful!

But did you know that Goliath had four brothers?  After David killed Goliath, 1 Samuel 17:51b says, "And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled."  Years later, there was more war between David and the Philistines - including these four brothers.  There are two accounts of these battles in which David's soldiers killed Goliath's brothers:  2 Samuel 21:18-22 and 1 Chronicles 20:4-8.

Oh, you knew Goliath had four brothers?  Hmmm.  Okay.

But did you know that David was prepared to kill all five of them that first day?

The account of David's confrontation begins in chapter 17 of 1 Samuel.  David, who at this time was probably a teenager, is frustrated at the Israeli army response to the Philistines' taunting of them.  He goes to the king and tells how he has saved his father's sheep from both a lion and a bear, killing them.  He says that the same God who protected him against wild beasts will protect him against the giant.  So David is given permission to take his chances with Goliath.  I know, I know, you've heard all this before.

David prepares himself to confront this behemoth of a man by doing what?  He gets a stone for his slingshot, right?

WRONG!

He gets five stones.

"Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine."

Now I used to read this and think, 'I guess he wanted to make sure he had extras in case he missed.'  I admit, that was in my early years.  That kind of thought process implies that, although David said The Lord would grant him a victory, by getting extra stones, he wasn't showing any faith that he actually believed The Lord would come through for him.

What David was actually doing was gathering enough stones for each brother!  He fully expected that when they saw that their brother had been killed, they would then step up to challenge David as well.  So David prepared for that outcome.  It was an outcome that never occurred because, as I pointed out earlier, they all fled the scene rather than avenger Goliath's death.

But what if they had challenged David?  And what if David had only prepared to kill Goliath?  What if he'd only gathered the one stone?  How unprepared would he have been?  Do you think the Philistines would have accepted a time out while David ran back to the riverbed to gather more stones?  Probably not.

I think there are times in our lives when we gather "just enough" of what we need.  Sometimes it's just enough of those few staples we need from the grocery store.  Sometimes it's just enough sleep before a workday.  Sometimes it's just enough time with the kids to pacify their needs.  But sometimes we need the preparations in case the storm that's forecasted actually hits our area.  Sometimes we need the preparations of enough rest in order to be refreshed and functional during a presentation.  Sometimes we need to spend those quality moments with our kids so they feel how special they are.

We have too many "just enoughs" in our lives.  Just enough excuses, just enough relationship, just enough Jesus.

Where is our preparation?  Where is our desire for more?  For completeness?  For the entire promise of The Lord instead of settling for the first step of the promise?

Stones were an important part of the Israelites in remembering the awesome works of God.  There are numerous passages of stone markers being laid, annointed, and named in honor of Him.

"And he was afraid, and said, 'How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.' So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone which he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it.  He called the name of that place Bethel [house of God]." Genesis 28:17-19

"And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak tree that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said to all the people, 'Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.'” Joshua 24:26-27

"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he  said, 'Till now the Lord has helped us.'” 1 Samuel 7:12

Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Moses, and Gideon are just a few others who also placed physical stone markers to commemorate the works of God as He delivered them from one circumstance or another.

I think we need to lay up some stones in our own lives.  Stones of remembrance.  Stones of grace.  Stones of deliverance.  Stones of reconciliation.  Stones of preparation. 

It's not enough to have "just enough."  God is not a God of "just enough."  He is a God of abundance!  (John 10:10)  If He is calling you to a purpose, go forward with full preparation, knowing that if more is required of you, you will be equipped.  If He is laying on your heart to step out in faith, step out in preparation, knowing that if He has paved the way, your journey will be successful.  If He is giving you the victory, take it with every preparation made, knowing that He never does anything half way.  Just because your preparations aren't put to use immediately doesn't mean they won't be needed later.

Stop being satisfied with "just enough" to get the job done today.  Your Father in heaven is wanting to prepare you for tomorrow and the future.  What you prepare for - or fail to prepare for - will have an affect on those who come after you.  What is "just enough" for you today may be "not nearly enough" later on.