Our Contender

But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered. —Isaiah 49:25

When I was nine, my daddy and I used to go to a great pizza shop called Johnny’s Pizza in the rough part of town where we lived. While waiting on our pizza one night, I walked over to the corner where a big leather and chain-clad Goliath was playing a bowling game. When he slid the game disc to knock down the pins, I grabbed it and slid it the rest of the way down. Growling at me, he slid it again. I grabbed the disc and helped it down the table once more.

This guy came toward me, snorting and fuming like a mad bull. As I was backing up, my daddy stepped between us and said, “Did you have something to say to the boy?”

When the devil’s forces come at you, with the smoke of hell billowing from their nostrils, your heavenly Father slides in front of you and says, “If you have anything to say, you have to say it to me.” Tell your Father how much you appreciate Him, and thank Him for His divine intervention.

Father, I am eternally grateful to You for everything.
From the gift of life itself to the gift of eternal life
through Your Son, Jesus. I give You continual praise.
Amen.