My Job For The King

WANTED: Young, beautiful, virgin woman. Must be tender, affectionate, and able to live without reward, recognition, and recompense. (Oh, and no sex.) Job Description: Keeping an old man warm until he dies. Benefits: Room & Board. Salary: None. No experience necessary. Ever heard of Abishag? Don’t worry. Most people do not know who she is. When doing a survey most guessed her to be,"some man in the Bible?" or said, "I know she’s in the Bible but I don’t know what she did." Abishag happened to be a very special and unique woman. Let’s read what the Bible says about her: I Kings 1:1-4 " Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. (2) Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. (3) So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. (4) And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not." Can you imagine yourself in this postion? Can you imagine your "job" being a "human blanket?" Well, that is what Abishag was and did. I wish the Bible told us more about her. I wonder why Bathsheba couldn’t do this job? Why not any of David’s other "wives?" The Bible tells us of nothing that was given to Abishag in return for this service. Although, she apparently lived in the palace,... obviously. How else could she keep David warm? And I am sure they fed her, and probably they clothed her. Don’t you just wonder where her parents are, or siblings? What about her friends? I mean, the Bible says they searched throughout "all the coasts of Israel" for this girl. Can you imagine being chosen above all the women, in all the coasts of Israel? And then described as a "damsel" who was "very fair?" A damsel actually has a different definition than a girl or lady has. A damsel is someone who is "well bred, graceful, polite, and free from anything low or vulgar." And to be described as "very fair" meant that she was "beautiful and pleasing to the eye." I tried to imagine what any young woman in today’s day and age would do. I mean, truly (and sadly) it would be hard to find one that met ALL the qualifications. Think about it, how many well bred, graceful, and polite young women do you know today? Most girls I know would think this job was gross! Especially, since David was old and unable at this time in his life to show her any kind of affection in return. It’s not like she’s going to get to be the queen one day, or have a child that is heir to the throne! Because the Bible says that "the king knew her not." Nevertheless, Abishag "cherished" the king. Abishag had to have had a special kind of heart. A heart that was willing to do whatever job her king needed done. I mean when you think about the many heroes and heroines of the faith, what significance is a young damsel who’s job was to just keep King David warm? Well, I will tell you my opinion. I think that God must have thought her willingness to give of herself, for her king, to be something extra special. Special enough to be mentioned in his most precious, and Holy Book. How about you? What kind of heart to do you have for your King? Are you willing to be used for him even if there is No Earthly Reward, Recognition, or Recompense? Let me tell you what Abishag DID get. She lived out the remainder her days in the king’s palace. I don’t know what kind of house or belongings she ever had before she came to the palace, but I know she stayed in the palace even after David’s death because she is mentioned again in chapter two. I think, just maybe, that God decided that she would get to live the life of a queen because she never had any aspirations of being one. Remember, no job that is done for the King, is to small or insignificant.