Active Ministry is Practical

Synopsis     2Sam 24:22-1Kings 1:4     2/13/2019 

In accordance with the word of the Lord, David went to Araunah’s threshing floor. Once there, he purchased the place, along with the animals and yoke. He built an altar there. And then he offered the oxen in sacrifice. 

David aged. As he did, he became feeble. And he had trouble keeping his body warm. So, his servants proposed finding him a nurse. Having David’s permission, they conducted a search for a beautiful, young woman who could nurse David and keep the king warm in the night.  

So, they found Abishag, a Shunamite woman. And she served the king.  

Abishag and David 

Abishag was a young woman from a small town. She came from an unremarkable tribe. And, there is no reason to think she had any ambition to become part of the king’s court.   

So, David’s servants searched the whole of Israel for a nurse. And Abishag is who they found.  

But this wasn’t part of her life plan. Her anticipation was probably like that of her mother and her sisters. Accordingly, she expected to be given in marriage. And she hoped the marriage would produce children.  

So, taking the job as the king’s nurse wasn’t actually a solid career move. It was an act of mercy and kindness to a dying old man.  

Active Ministry is Practical Ministry 

I sometimes struggle with how to serve. It may sound strange, but I look for opportunities. And I pray that God would show me how best to meet the challenges of this age. The problem is, I want my service to be meaningful – to have real impact. And, I want to feel good about all this.  

But somehow, I have this creeping suspicion that God’s agenda is different than mine.  

“And whoever does not provide for relatives and especially family members has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1Tim 5:8