"Miss Abby"

Here's a story that I felt like the Lord gave me before I got up last Sunday morning. Enjoy!
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She was approaching marrying age. She was beautiful --- “show-stopping” gorgeous. She had kept herself chaste. She was a pure delight! Soon she would belong to someone.

She had hopes and dreams. She sang as she went about her work. She wanted children, a dozen of them --- maybe more! They would be joyful, jubilant, strong and true, fit for the service of the king! She already had names for some of them picked out and tucked away in her heart.

News came! She was chosen and swept away to the king’s palace herself. She was given every spa treatment the palace could offer. Her clothing was made to fit only her and constructed of the very finest fibers. Finally the day came. She was presented to the King.

He was old now, very old. She had been sought out by his very best advisors for a purpose --- to keep him warm when he slept.

She lay there awake. She was still, on the outside --- but inside, full of energy and questions. “Why God?” she whispered --- unanswered prayers, unfulfilled hopes. She would never have children, see their smiling faces, hear the word “mama.” She would not know the joy of being one man’s one wife, the thrill of living and comfort of growing in years and companionship with her life’s partner.

It had all been sacrificed --- offered on the altar and she didn’t even have a say. The sadness started to wash into her like the rising tide. She withdrew a little, then caught herself.

“No! I have many things to be thankful for,” she thought. “I live like a queen. All my needs are met in abundance. I only have one task to perform and that’s simple enough. I’m well-respected. No one could ask for more, …”

Then it caught her eye, a tear on the old man’s cheek. She stared at him in the half darkness. Many nights she had lain there hearing his sleep noises, groans of pain when he turned, a light snore, a jerk, a caught breath indicating a disturbing dream. She watched him.

He had been a mighty warrior and a well-loved king. He had led the men to battle and fought for them while they fought for him. He was a humble shepherd boy that had come to shepherd God’s chosen people, and he did --- he cared for each of them from the least to the greatest with equal concern. He was a man after God’s own heart.

She was filled with compassion. His hair was white now and thinning. His musculature had shrunken mercilessly from age. The renowned king now shuddered trying to keep his bones warm.

He opened his eyes. Tears of "knowing" rolled down to his wrinkled chin. He smiled and gently reached over to touch her cheek.

“Abishag,” he said. “I appreciate your kindness. I know your sacrifice. I may be old now, but I was once young, full of ambition and expectations too. You have given up everything in order to care for me. It won’t be for naught.”

Weeks went by. Then months. Some time later the old man died, but not before she knew him more intimately than anybody else had, not physically, but uniquely as his closest companion. She was with him every waking hour, ministering to his every need.

He told her of his life and loves, heartaches and hopes, children, soldiers and wives. Most of all, he told her of a God who cared for her more than any human could --- One who wanted only the best for her and loved her no matter what --- a God she could trust!

As she walked through the palace courtyard, the children ran to her. “Miss Abby,” they called. “Tell us a story.” She sat down on the bench in the courtyard that she came to every day. The servants’ children and even some of their grandchildren crowded in to hear what Miss Abby had to say.

For years she taught the children there. The eldest ones grew and new ones came along. She taught them about God. “Our God is a god even kings can trust,” she would say. “He cares about everybody from the least to the greatest. He knows each of your needs. He knows your hopes and dreams, your disappointments and your failures. He’s intimately acquainted with your tears as well as your joys. He rejoices over YOU with His love. One day, He has promised to send another King from the line of King David. He will wipe every tear off all of our faces. He will shepherd us in His fold and take us to live with Him in His kingdom forever. Praise God! Hallelujah for He reigns for ever more!” The children cheered and hugged her as she rose and started to walk away.

“Thank You, God!” she whispered in prayer. “You have made the barren woman a happy mother of children. You’ve turned my sorrow into joy and I’ll dance in Your kingdom forever and ever. Amen!”

… Then, she twirled and skipped away!!!

Some references in scripture came from 1 Kings 1:1-4, Isaiah 25:8, Isaiah 54:1, Psalm 30:11-12.

CHOOSE JOY!

(I wrote this in my journal in December and ran across it again recently so I thought I’d share it with you.)

Today is a day to choose joy.

Stop mourning over past sins and mistakes. Let Godly sorrow have its work and lead you to repentance. Repent! And then choose joy!

In Nehemiah, chapter 8, the people of Israel were listening to the words of God’s Law being read once again in their home-land. God was restoring Israel. She had previously been exiled for her stubbornness and sinful rebellion. Now she was being restored.

When Ezra read the Law, the people wept and grieved for they now recognized their sinfulness. They were heart-broken.

God had used sorrow to bring them to true repentance. Then, Nehemiah the prophet spoke to the people: “No more weeping! This is a sacred day to the Lord. Do not mourn, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

God blessed that day. He was so excited. His people had returned to Him, not only by location, but in the repentance of their hearts! Glory Hallelujah!

He said: “Rejoice! Have a festival! Celebrate! Enjoy! Eat choice foods! Drink sweet drinks! Share your food and drinks with others. Party! Because God gives you joy! In return for your heart-repentance, He places joy in your hearts --- deep down inside of you. And this joy shall be your strength!”

So today: Choose joy ! ! ! Let Godly sorrow do its perfect work and bring you to true repentance of your sins, then look up? God will pour His joy from heaven into your heart, all over you ‘til it runs from you to others. Rejoice! The kingdom of God is at hand and it’s a joyful one. He’s setting the banquet table right now. Party!

Thank You God that You know me. Thank You that You loved me so much that You sent Your Son Jesus to pay with His own life for my very sins. Thank You Jesus for being obedient to God, even in sorrow, joyfully looking forward to our reunion with Him because of Your great sacrifice.

I love YOU, Lord! Please now, make me obedient to You in the same way so that I will rejoice every day knowing that my face-to-face eternal encounter with You is getting closer by the minute.

Rejoice!
Rejoice!
Rejoice!
Bee Joyful!
Amen!

TEACH US TO PRAY

Our Father, who art in Heaven…

Dear Heavenly Father,
Holy, Holy, Holy is Your name.
May Your kingdom come and Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, (even though we know that for that to really happen, things will get to looking a lot worse here before they start to get better). We still want Your will. Amen!

Give use this day our daily bread --- and thanks, God, that our daily needs never get forgotten by You. You always remember what we need and have it prepared for us ahead of time.

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who’ve sinned against us. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. Lord, I forgive all those who have wronged me. Please, You forgive them too.

Lead us not into temptation. We know You never tempt anyone. Your word says so! But we know that You allow temptation in our lives so that we can become strong. It gives us a chance to practice righteousness, strengthening those “faith” muscles that will make us stand strong in battle. Just like You made gravity to tug on us and we fall when we’re learning to walk, we needed something that would counter us, pull against our muscles so that they could grow strong with resistance training.

Help us to resist temptation! To grow strong! To keep resisting! To keep growing and strengthening so that ultimately we will be ready to stand and even be found standing when all the battle dust blows away.

Thank You, God, for Your sovereignty. Thank You that You don’t just leave us out there to fend for ourselves. Thank You that You are faithful to deliver us from the evil one - from evil and the evil one. Thank You that we can cry out to You for deliverance and help and You are quick to save. It’s Your choice that we would be delivered!

Thank You for Your strength in us. Thank You for this great grace You have given us.

Thank You, God!
Yours is the kingdom!
All power belongs to You, in Heaven, on Earth, and under the Earth!
Yours is all the glory for eternity, now and forever,
Amen and amen!

I love You, Lord! Help me to love You as I should! Help me to fear You as I ought! All praise and honor and glory to You, Heavenly Father, Almighty God!


I am offering a free PDF of the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew in my handwritten calligraphy shown above. It is ready to print on your 8.5” X 11” paper in sepia tones. The print is formatted to fit in a standard size 8” X 10” frame. E-mail me to let me know that you want it sent to you. In the subject line of the e-mail enter: Teach Us To Pray. Thank you! If you don’t get the PDF in your e-mail from me within 48 hours it will mean that I did not receive your e-mail. Please e-mail me again in that case.

You may e-mail me at: Joy@BeeJoyfulQuilts.com. Thanks! Enjoy!