Thanks For the Sheep-Shearing Profits Lord

# 341 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 25:7-9, “'Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, and we did not hurt them, nor was there anything missing from them all the while they were in Carmel. 8 'Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David.'" 9 So when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David, and waited. (1 Sam 25:7-9) David has sent ten men to Nabal on a day when the shepherds were celebrating pay day. This payday was made possible largely because of the unseen protection that David and his men gave to Nabal and his shepherds while they tended their flocks in Carmel. It wasn't like David and his men stood armed guard around the shepherds and their flocks, but as long as David and his men were around, any marauding bands stayed clear of Nabal. It was like an unseen ring of protection around Nabal. On this day of feasting, when the hearts of men should be turned to joy and generosity, David and his men make a simple request of Nabal to give some of what the Lord has blessed him with to his invisible protector. David is a type of Jesus here and Jesus makes the same request of you and I. He too has afforded us an invisible ring of protection in the spiritual realm that we cannot see, but most assuredly is there. 2Th 3:3 says, “ But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.” You and I are often tempted to forget about our Lord's 24/7 protection, especially when things aren't going well, but believe me, it would be a whole lot worse, should the Lord lift His protection. Think about it, what do we have in our possession that was not given to us and preserved by God? Is it not fitting then that we gladly return a portion of what we have to Him on our sheep-shearing days? Father, thank You for Your protection, help us to express our thanks through joyful generosity.