“And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth (1 Samuel 17: 33.)”
Goliath had terrorized the armies of Israel for 40 days. King Saul stated the obvious to David as he was overpowered and too small for the fight. Still, David was the only one willing to confront the giant. He gathered five smooth stones at the brook which symbolized the number for grace. A one-in-a-million shot from his sling took down Goliath. The Lord was with David and gave him a great victory. God gives grace to his people and helps us overcome all obstacles.
As David gathered five stones for the battle, there are five types of grace we need to walk in victory. The grace of God can empower us to do what we are not able on our own. It would be near impossible to sling a stone and hit a fully armored man perfectly in the forehead. Likewise, the Apostle Paul said, “I am what I am by the grace of God (1 Cor. 15:10).” He was strengthened to do extraordinary things to change the world. Paul also spoke of a sustaining grace that helped him endure hardships. In his moments of pain and weakness, the Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for thee (2 Corinthians 12:9).” The Lord’s hand upon us can make all the difference.
God is merciful and will forgive us when we confess our sins (1 John 1:9). There is a forgiving grace that picks us up when we fall down. 2 Corinthians 9:8 records an abounding grace that supplies our needs. The most well-known of all five is the saving grace found in Eph. 2:8-9: “It is by grace that we are saved.”
Comparing David with Golliath, we must all realize our shortcomings. We all need the grace of the Lord in every aspect of our lives. We can obtain this by humbling ourselves and seeking the Lord. God will exalt us to a life of victory when we trust in him. Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need (Heb. 4:16).
