I HAVE NO SPADES AND ONLY ONE FACE CARD

I love to play Spades. For those of you who have never heard of it, Spades is a popular card game where three to four players compare cards one at a time, and the highest valued card wins the others. The spade cards are the highest valued and usually win. However, face cards are also highly valued. You can ask for a re-deal if you are dealt no spades and no face cards. Otherwise, you play the hand you are dealt. I remember one game, in particular, where I had no spades and one face card. It is one of the worst hands you can get. To a novice player, this would have been a problem. However, I consider myself a Spadologist, which means that due to my history and experience, I knew how to play and play well. The outcome of the game was typical for a Spadologist. We won, but how?

34 “But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it, and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it, and killed it.” 49 “Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. So, David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand, he struck down the Philistine and killed him” (1 Samuel 17:34-35, 49-50).

One other thing I forgot to mention about Spades is that in a four-person game, you have partners. Whatever my hand lacked, my partner picked up the slack. The combination of history and partnership made us unbeatable regardless of the hand that I was dealt.

David was the youngest and smallest of eight boys. His older brothers fought battles while he tended sheep. However, tending sheep sometimes meant facing fierce opposition. His victories against that opposition prepared him for his battle with Goliath. David’s victory over Goliath was part of God’s plan for his journey to becoming King of Israel. Do you have a passion due to something in your history? Have you acted on it? If not, why? Are you fearful? Do you feel inadequate? Don’t forget you have a partner. God is your partner in this game of life. Like David, God has equipped you for your purpose through your past experiences. You will do more than you can imagine, even with a sling and some stones or no spades and one face card.

“Father God, You use all things for my good and for Your purpose. Please give me revelation to see Your guiding hand in my Dashing Journey, knowing that, with You, I will do more than I can imagine. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.”