Tuesday, August 28, 2018

The Ones At Home

I was reading today. Reading about when King David of the Bible was going to war with his son, Absalom. There was a whole bunch of wrong between the two of them. Wrong that had gone on for years. So much wrong that it bubbled up into a war between father and son.

As David was leaving to meet his son, Absalom, he commanded that a group of concubines be left behind to maintain the palace. Everyone else in the palace was fleeing. The entire entourage was packed and climbing into their chariots or onto a camel. But these ten concubines were left to take care of the palace.

Can you imagine. Everyone around you is packing a bag. Throwing necessities around. Making sure they have food, water, clothing for any type of situation. And the ten concubines are maybe helping. Taking the big swallow to quench their tears of fear. These women are going to be left behind to take care of an entire palace.

Have you ever been left behind?

There was something coming. Something big. It could be exciting or it could be a holy terror. But either way, you weren't going to experience it. You would be left with a small group waiting for the war to be over. All while maintaining your house. The day to day functions of a palace are your responsibilities. Maybe you would have to do work you hadn't done before. Or perhaps you would be doing the chores you have done a thousand times. All while under the weight of the terrible unknown coming down on your home.

What do you do in the face of uncertainty? How do you maintain your daily rituals, or pick up another's in addition to yours, when the world you have known begins to unravel?

I don't know how the ten concubines did it, but for me? I need to be standing on something firmer than a palace's ground floor.

I stand on the Rock. That of Jesus. When life has fallen apart all around me, it was standing on the firm foundation that my God had delivered me from evil before. I stand on the promises that God has gone before me, even in the midst of a war. That it is ultimately up to Jesus what happens to me and mine.

So when the whole house packs up, when everyone else runs away, when I am charged with staying behind to maintain the house, I will do so with the assurance that my God is my foundation. 

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