by John O’Malley
This is part three in a series about the culture of World Wide. Click below to view the video version of this devotional.
Adino, Eleazar, and Shammah served King David’s interests. These men, called mighty men, acted on the king’s behalf. Each man was courageous, bold, and eager to take an impossible task with God’s help and to accomplish the impossible for the honor of Israel, the king, and God.
Scripture records an occasion when David was in a cave called Adullam. In a valley below was a troop of Philistines. Over twenty miles away, at home in Bethlehem, was a garrison of Philistines.
David longed for water from home. David had water available to him in the cave. He longed for water from his hometown well, the well by the gate.
David spoke from his heart. “Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” The mighty men heard David’s heart’s desire. They made the more-than-forty-mile round trip. They broke through the garrison and the troops of the enemy they encountered, to bring David water from home.
David knew he could not drink this water. Their sacrifice, endangerment, and honor were more than David could bear. He could not even sip this water of sacrifice.
David’s heart was toward God. He took the water, which to him was pure, precious, and valuable, and poured it out to the Lord as a sacrifice.
Our trio of warriors were men of honor too. Their eager effort to get the king water from home was rewarded enough to them. Their offering to David became David’s offering to God.
In continuing my series on the five disciplines* of our agency’s culture, please notice the eagerness of David’s mighty men. The mighty men heard the mere wish of their king. They accomplished the impossible with eager ability.
As part of our agency’s culture, our office staff commits to eagerness. We want to do more than what you request. We are eager to bring God glory and bring you pleasure by fulfilling your request.
How we treat you has as much to do with our walk with God and our calling to serve you, as it does with our daily job description.
In ministry, have you lost your eagerness? The eagerness you began this course with, do you still manifest it? When ministry becomes monotonous, devotion-less, and without eagerness, the people you serve the Lord in front of lose.
When you lose eagerness, it affects your pulpit ministry, public ministry, and private ministry. A marriage without eager responsiveness can wither. A home without eager participation can quickly drift in the sea of complacency.
As a leader at WWNTBM, I commit to being eager to listen, love, and labor for the honor of the King. Is your highest level of eagerness for the spiritual things in life? May God help us if we become eager for the carnal.
Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley
*The Five Disciplines of SERVE: Selfless, Eager, Responsible, Valuable, Exceptional
If this article has been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know.