MAXIMIZING
OPPORTUNITIES: Devotion for Saturday August 13, 2016
Text:
1 Samuel 17: 12 – 30
Memory
verse: 1 Samuel 17:26 – Then David spoke to the men
who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done for the man who kills this
Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this
uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living
God?"
We have opportunities that come our ways every
day. When we maximize the opportunities they usually lead to more opportunities
and blessings. Jesse had no other motive of sending David to his brothers in
the Israeli army. Fortunately, David got to the Israeli camp at that critical
juncture when Goliath was threatening the Israeli army. But God, who in His
wisdom orders actions and affairs of men, was there to use David to serve a purpose.
He made him and knew the qualities in him.
This instance wasn’t the first time David went
to the Israeli camp to see his brothers. He visits them occasionally as we have
in 1 Samuel 17:15. However, on this particular visit, David saw the Philistine
champion, Goliath threatening the army of Israel and defying their God for 40 days.
When David heard the words of Goliath and the promise made by Saul to whoever
will kill Goliath, he opted to maximize the opportunity to glorify God. He saw
Goliath as inferior in power compare to the fearful animals like bear and lion he
had killed earlier while tending his father’s sheep.
“In times of general formality and
lukewarmness, every degree of zeal which implies readiness to go further, or to
venture more in the cause of God than others, will be blamed as pride and
ambition” so posited Matthew Henry. This was the case of David’s senior brother
who picked offence against him for offering to fight Goliath. David saw that
opportunity as appropriate and right to glorify God in the eyes of heathen
nation and faithless Israel.
We do have such opportunities on daily basis
to preach God’s word and to do good to others. How much do we utilise them? Do
we consider what our relations will say and thus fail to speak out for God?
Remember that if God can use donkey to speak, He can use any other thing to
glorify His name. Will God use stones to glorify Himself when you are alive?
Think about it.
Action: Use one opportunity you have this day to preach the gospel to someone.
Prayer: Help me to maximize every opportunity I have to glorify you, O Lord.
