THEY ALSO SERVE WHO SIT AND WAIT

There’s a wonderful story in the Old Testament that I have always loved. It’s found in I Samuel, chapter 30. As you read it ask yourself, “Do I know anyone like this?”
That story tells of several battles: David and the men of the city are away when the occurrence of the first battle on the horizon affects each one of them greatly, a raid occurs where David’s wives and families are living and they are captured along with all the other inhabitants; no one is killed, but the city is burned to the ground.
The next battle is between David and his men who are angry with him and want to stone because their wives and families have been captured. David seeks God’s counsel and learns that they are not only to pursue the captors but that the captors will be overtaken and the captured will be rescued!
Of the six-hundred men, two-hundred were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor so they stayed behind. Can you imagine the battle that waged in their minds, knowing that their wives and children were somewhere up ahead being held hostage and they simply could not go one step further?
As the four-hundred pressed on the next battle came in the form of a servant of the captors whom they found in a field. He had been left behind because he had become ill. He explained that he had had no food or drink for three days and nights but once fed, he revived, told them he knew of the destruction of the city, and agreed to lead them to the band of captors once they promised to not kill him.
Then came the planned big battle and as God had promised, the victory belonged to David and his men. They won back all that the captors had taken including all the wives and children, safe and sound…nothing was lost…spoils were gained…the battle had been won! Hallelujah! Rejoicing? Songs of praise? Oh, but wait! Once they arrived back at Brook Besor, yet another battle was looming when some of the four-hundred men said, “The men who stayed behind can have their wives and children but that’s all! None of the spoils belong to them since they stayed behind!”
Now here’s the part of this story that speaks out loud to me! Hear for yourself as David answers, "You must not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us. And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike." (I Samuel 30:23-24 NASB)
Oh, yes, they also serve who sit and wait! Do you know anyone like that? I suspect you do and whoever comes to your mind right now, why don’t you send this little story to them just as a reminder that God knows who they are and sees them as they serve Him by sitting and waiting?
© Marilyn Sue (Libby) Moore 4-20-09