Faith is a Stone's Throw Away

As I've gotten older a lot of things change and the one thing I seem to be losing the most is my memory. I forget A LOT! Mostly simple, small things, just because I have so much on my mind. I know most people do.

One of the biggest problems I have, though is forgetting God's faithfulness. I can be in the same or similar predicament that I've been in many times before and forget to recall how God got me through and helped me out each time.

I tend to forget God's faithfulness.

I forget to trust in God time and time again so I tend to worry and fret or take matters into my own hand, which never seems to end well.

David suffered from short term memory loss as well, as I often do. He forgot to remember how God helped Him many times in the past when met with opposition from an enemy.

King Nabal was rude, crude and foolish. His very name meant fool. David kindly asked Nabal for some food and provisions in return to the kindness that he showed Nabal's men as they were shearing sheep near by.

Nabal responded foolishly, “Who is this fellow David?” Nabal sneered to the young men. “Who does this son of Jesse think he is?"

Those were fighting words for David. His response, “Get your swords!” He was ready to fight and take revenge on this fool for his unkindness.

David's first response, first instinct was to take the matter into his own hands. To take his sword in his hand and kill Nabal and all of his men. He forgot how strong and vengeful God was, how faithful he had been to take care of him in the past.

Thankfully he was sent a reminder from Nabal's wife Abigail. She quickly and decisively gathered the necessary provisions for David and his men and rode to meet him herself and said these words to him,

“Even when you are chased by those who seek to kill you, your life is safe in the care of the Lord your God, secure in his treasure pouch! But the lives of your enemies will disappear like stones shot from a sling! When the Lord has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the Lord has done these great things for you, please remember me, your servant!”

This line, "But the lives of your enemies will disappear like stones shot from a sling" really caught my attention. I tend to remember a time when David was a young boy and he used a stone and a sling to kill his enemy at that time. But the stone and the sling was not what he trusted in. 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." When facing his giant problem, he trusted in the Lord God Almighty. He knew God's faithfulness.

When facing a seemingly smaller enemy in Nabal, not just in stature, but in mind as well, David seemed to forget how God had helped him with his giant enemy in the past. He traded the stone for the sword, faith for the fight. He wasn't letting God fight this battle for him, he was fighting this one himself.

Thankfully, God in His infinite wisdom sent a reminder in the form of a wise woman named Abigail, his enemies wife at that! After reminding him to recall how God saved him with the stone and sling in the past, she reminded him to remember God's faithfulness now and trust in Him yet again and not to take vengeance into his own hands. Other phrases stick out in her response to David, 'when the Lord has done all that He has promised', and 'when the Lord has done these great things for you."

Abigail seemed to have a faith of her own in this God that had helped David in the past. She knew of Him and his faithfulness and was willing to express that faith through her actions.

God used Moses to remind the Israelites of His immaculate track record of faithfulness. As Moses sends the Israelites into the promised land he exhorts the people to remember!

Remember not to forget.

Don’t forget to remember.

Remember to remember.

“Only be careful,” Moses warns, “and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”

The past is gone. I do tend to forget often, not just the simple things, but also the big things that God has done for me. It's human nature. The human mind is boggled with thoughts, struggles, schedules, work, home and family. We get caught up in those struggles of life, we forget to remember who God is, we forget His faithfulness. But, then God sends us reminders in one form or another, in whatever means that he deems best for us. We recall His faithfulness from the many times that He has helped us in the past and we are reminded that God's faithfulness is just a stone's throw away.