“But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37 The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”” 1 Samuel 17:34-36 NLT
God our Good Shepherd,
David’s three oldest brothers Eliab, Abinadab, and Shimea had joined Saul’s army. Or been commanded to join? We do not know what the other brothers were doing but we know that David was sent back and forth to run errands and tend the sheep, with the servants. I suppose he was an extra hand for left over chores not too important. His father Jesse had forgotten about him when Samuel wanted to see his sons (1 Samuel 16:11). Unlike Joseph the youngest and favourite son of Israel (Gen 37:3).
But he did not rebel and served his time with the livestock more than obediently. He put his own life in danger protecting them. And You used all he learned to prepare him for his future. How often we distain the mundane. Or we moan about chores we must do and we feel we are not achieving much. Help us to see we can learn from You all the time, we need to learn, understand and be rooted in You for our future. Here and in heaven.
David learned how to oversee the flock and lead them as well as protect them. He would need all these skills. His mundane prepared him. Help us to learn as we go in the everyday tasks that we must do.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Saturday 26th April 2025
I do not know of any modern worship that expresses this prayer . . .
New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove;
Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life, and power, and thought.
New mercies, each returning day,
Hover around us while we pray;
New perils past, new sins forgiven,
New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.
If on our daily course our mind
Be set to hallow all we find,
New treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.
The trivial round, the common task,
Would furnish all we ought to ask,
Room to deny ourselves,
a road To bring us daily nearer God.
Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
Fit us for perfect rest above;
And help us this and every day
To live more nearly as we pray.
Lyrics: John Keble