David and Goliath Part 11 - The Prodigals

# 247 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 17:31-37, “ Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. 32 Then David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 33 And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36 "Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." 37 Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!" (1 Sam 17:31-37) Sauls has doubts about sending David out against the giant, but David reminds Saul of a couple of his exploits with lions and bears while guarding his father's sheep. And you have to admit they are impressive. He delivered a lamb out of the mouth of a lion, and when the animal reared up against him, he grab it by the hair on its chinny chin chin and slew it. David no doubt had the courage to take on this giant, but more importantly he reminds Saul that the same God who delivered those animals by the beard, would be able to deliver the giant into his hands. I want you to think now about the prodigals in your life. Those who have squandered the grace of God and walked away from the faith. Take heart from this passage. Note that David risked everything to rescue those individual sheep who were in the clutches of the enemy. Does that remind you of anyone else? Mt 18:11-14 says, “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 12 "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13 "And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 "Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” Your Father will go to great lengths to rescue His lost sheep. Ask Him! Keep praying for your prodigals For only the the Lord is able to grab the devil by the scruff of his neck and secure their release. Father, I pray for all those who have wandered from the faith. Do what you have to do to rescue them from the evil one and bring them back into the fold.