July 17, 2009
But the King Knows
Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds of the air touch them by day or the wild animals by night. When David was told what Aiah's daughter Rizpah, Saul's concubine, had done, he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had taken them secretly from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.) David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.
They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul's father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land. 2 Samuel 21:10-14
Buried in the Bible are these little stories that can easily get passed over for the "juicier" sections (e.g., Moses parting the Red Sea, David and Goliath, Jesus turning water into wine). Rizpah, a relative of Saul, wanted to protect the bodies of the seven men who were killed. She was protecting them from the birds. A simple act of kindness and decency. No one would notice. After all, the men she was protecting were already dead.
But King David heard about it and acted. Long story short: Saul, Jonathan, and the seven men were all buried together. Away from the birds, away from the open air.
Rizpah's legacy lives on around the world. Most people have never heard her name but they are like her. Most reading this are like her. You work and labor and wonder if it's making a difference. No one seems to notice your deeds. You get discouraged and want to give it all up for an easier life.
But the King knows. The King is recording all of those deeds. Sometimes he rewards you on the spot; most times, however, your small acts of kindness and hard work go seemingly unnoticed. Seemingly. The Enemy would want you to think that it's all for nothing. But it's not.
Take heart, Brothers and Sisters, your work for the Lord is not in vain, even the smallest things you do for others. Like the concert pianist whispering in the ear of a five-year-old as he plays a simple Chopsticks, "Keep on, Lad, you're doing great. Keep it up. I'm here with you. You're doing good. You're doing great. Don't stop now."
