Bit players in God's story

Jonathan and Ahimaaz - J.C. Weigel

He is risen; He is risen indeed. Happy Easter!

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 16-18; Psalm 91

TO CHEW ON: "Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed at En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell King David." 2 Samuel 17:17

David's plan was working! Absalom chose to follow Husahi's advice instead of Ahithophel's This bought David some time.

Hushai sent word of this to the priests' sons Jonathan and Ahimaaz (who had promised to be the snail-mail between Jerusalem and on-the-run David - 2 Samuel 15:27-28). However, even getting the word to Jonathan and Ahimaaz was now a two-step process as Absalom had eyes and ears everywhere. So Hushai gave the message for Jonathan and Ahimaaz to a "servant girl" to take to En Rogel where the runners were hiding.

A youngster saw them get the message, though and told Absalom. J. & A., realizing they'd been sighted, took refuge in a well in Bahurim, where the householder's wife covered their hiding place and spread ground grain on top of it. When Absalom's servants came to search they didn't find anyone. (Whew!)

Jonathan and Ahimaaz eventually got the message to David. He followed Hushai's advice, left the area and crossed over the Jordan to the wilderness.  There, before he even had time to worry about how he was going to take care of his army, three locals, Shobi, Machir, and Barzillai came laden with supplies because, "The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness" - 2 Samuel 17:27-29.

Though it's customary for us to focus on the big-name players in the Bible's story—the Davids, Absaloms, Hushais, and Ahithophels—these narratives are also often full of bit players, some named, like Jonathan and Ahimaaz, but many unnamed as well, who are really as vital to bringing about the end result as the main players. In this story there are at least seven. Each one needed to play his or her part in order for God to accomplish His plan of preserving David's life.

Being a bit player is often our role. While we're not the big name speaker or the worship leader, when we do our part to make the phone calls, send the emails, set up the sound system, visit the sick, bring the food, open up our homes etc., things roll along smoothly. God's story plays out. Ours may seem like small, unimportant roles, but they are no less important than the role of the main characters to allow God's story to unfold in the way He has planned.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to be willing to play whatever part You have for me in Your story. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 91

MORE: Easter Sunday
Carrying on with our theme of noticing insignificant characters, how many can you find in the story of Jesus' passion? Are we not among them—sinners for whom Christ's death paid our sins' penalty, and whose resurrection guarantees our life? 

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.