November 9

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…when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth… 1 Samuel 17:34-5

As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion two legs or a piece of an ear…. Amos 3:12

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🔊 David and Amos were extraordinary shepherds who risked their lives to protect their flocks. David is here, in the quote from 1 Samuel, describing actual events from his experience. Evidently on more than one occasion a lamb had been seized by a lion or a bear and had to be rescued from the very mouth of the creature. Most shepherds would probably have said ‘bon appétit’ to the lion or the bear and saved the rest of the flock – but not David. He boldly attacked the beasts and rescued his lambs. When someone gets entangled with sin and finds themselves in the clutches of darkness, we must never think that God easily gives up the battle for them, even if they themselves are to blame for their plight. There are many warnings in Scripture not to get entangled with the world and sin, lest we lose our salvation, but we must not think that Jesus lets lambs go easily. There is a fierce battle to keep our hearts and minds secure. Amos talks of saving even a few remnants of the lamb, and that at first sight does not seem worth it. The true significance is that Jesus Christ is able to restore us, from even the shattered fragments of a broken life. Not only is He able to breathe life into us, but the life that is restored is ultimately as perfect as His life. The battle to win us back begins with the communication of the Saviour’s persistent love. God’s love is the strongest power in the universe and is able to rescue and heal the most damaged soul. As soon as we stretch out our arms of faith to Him, believing His love, the battle is essentially won and our future secure.