1 Samuel 17:17-18

(17) And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; (18) And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

There is somewhat very sweet, to the gracious parent, in his view of this. How unconscious was the mind of the father, of the great events which the Lord in his providence had foreordained, to arise from this errand of his son to the camp. While he only wanted to know how his elder children were, the Lord had it in commission for his younger child to become the deliverer of his country. Ye watchful parents, of a gracious God, learn from hence, to be continually looking out for the merciful superintendance of a covenant God in Christ, over your children. Commit them with all their concerns to him, and watch the gracious manifestations of his love in all their arrangements. But Reader! do not overlook the sweet spiritual lesson held forth to the brethren of Jesus. Let our Almighty David take our poor pledge how we far e, and bear it to our Father. And may he bring to us, from our Father, all spiritual food and sustenance we need in our camp, where we are engaged with the enemies of our salvation in warfare, as the pledge of his everlasting, unchanging love in Jesus.