No Sword

Today my friend, the real estate lady, who has been with us in our "light afflictions," will pick me up and drive me to close the deal on this house. Bob has overnighted the papers from Michigan, so they should arrive this morning. I will take my little pen and sign my couple of little places, and come along home in the pouring rain. She will do the rest.

In this morning's reading, David did not even carry a sword in his hand against the giant, Goliath. Instead he cried, "The battle is the Lord's."

I am only a girl and don't want to have to wield a big sword today, or wear heavy Saul-sized armor to do this battle. Just a few stones and a sling will suffice. The other day I did not feel up to swinging a big sword either, when our buyer started to get cold feet. Salvation is of the LORD.

David took the first running step forward, and the Spirit of the Lord filled him with power. As I take my little step of faith forward, the joyful life of the Son of God will surely rise up inside me and take it from there. As with every morning, all I need to do is lend him my hands and feet and get out of bed.

A letter this morning from China makes me cry. It is from a brother whose house was cracked in the recent earthquake, but he stands (or kneels) strong in his faith. I weep too for our brothers and sisters clinging to pieces of flotsam in Myanmar. They also may not feel able to bear a heavy sword today. However, our dearest Friend, the Captain of the Hosts of Heaven looms huge behind them and us, carrying a sword and staring down our adversaries for us. Salvation is the same for all of us, whatever the size of our afflictions. Salvation is of the LORD.

Revelation 7: 10 quotes nations and kindreds, and people, and tongues, standing before God's throne, who knew the secret weapon in their trials. They cried it with a loud voice, and I can cry it in my kitchen,

"Salvation is of the LORD!"