11O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”Now I was cup bearer to the king.
As followers of the Lamb, we all have an important role to play. Your job or mine may seem insignificant to us at times. We might even shake our heads and wonder if we have even made a difference at all. We quietly think to ourselves, "Would anyone ever notice if I just walked away?" Many of us have what I call, "shadow jobs." You know what I mean, the ones that never seem to receive the praise.
One of the persons that I admire the most, is that of my wife Julie. She has what many would be considered a shadow job. My Julie, has a sweet personality and loves people. Unlike her loud mouthed husband though, she is a behind the scenes type of person. Seriously folks, she hates the spotlight. Now she will be out going if the ministry or job calls for it but she would rather just do the work.
My wife has excelled in the jobs that she has done. Where I respect her the most though is in the area of how she has raised our children. I'm your typical male at times. I get caught up with the work, a football game or a thousand other things that men are known to do. I go blind at times. Julie on the other hand is 24/7. My wife has poured her heart and soul into my girls. She has given and given even to the point of where she can no more. If that is not enough she then pours out her life for me.
Now how many people in this world will even know her? Will there be thousands at her funeral? Will they write books? You and I already know the answer to those questions. Yet, what an impact she has had on my life, my children and those around her by simply doing the shadow jobs that the Lord has given her. She is a true jewel of untold worth.
In this passage, we are told that Nehemiah, was a cup bearer to the king. At first glance, that may seem to some of us like an insignificant thing. We don't understand the importance of that position, as the people of that time did. The cup bearer would test all of the kings beverages. He was the one who put his life on the line constantly. The poison would be on his lips before the king would partake. He literally was willing to give up his life to protect his king.
Cup bearing was an incredibly important job. I wonder though, how many people in the king's realm knew this Jewish man, who served this Gentile King? Did they make appointments, seek out conversations with him? Was he declared as being one of the men who you just had to know? I doubt it. The job was important but every one's eyes were focused on the king. Some probably did draw close to Nehemiah, but it was the king's ear that they wanted when they came near.
What was important though was that the KING knew Nehemiah. The king knew of his sacrifice for him daily. The king knew of how he sought to serve him. The king knew that Nehemiah would gladly give his life for him. Hey, in the end this was all that was important. The KING knew and would have had a relationship with this trusted servant.
Do you see where I am going with all of this? Our Father knows, of those who are the, "shadow workers." He knows their sacrifices. Our Father knows of how they will serve Him even when there is no applause. He knows their name no matter what type of work that they do. He knows you, when you feel as though your life doesn't make any sense at all. You are a cup bearer to the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
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| 2 BEAUTIES!! |
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| I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING BUT I HAD TO PUT THIS ONE ON. SHE WILL SHOOT ME LATER. |
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