Will You Be Our Abishai by Daneille Gray Snowden

copyright2020(c)Daneille Gray Snowden

2020

Will You Be Our Abishai

by Daneille Gray Snowden

1 Samuel 26:6 "David then asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, "Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?" "I'll go with you," said Abishai."

David needed someone to go with him to face a dangerous challenge. Verse 12 says the Lord had put a deep sleep on the 3 thousand soldiers plus Saul. David didn't know that, but he knew he had to go down, just he and Abishai. 

We all know that David could not allow his cohort to kill Saul, for as David said; "he was God's anointed." So, he took Saul's spear and water jug.  

This of course spoke volumes later as David challenged Abner the King's guard for not guarding his King well. Saul's heart was melted because of this and repented and turned away from pursuing David. 

Let's go back to verse 6 here; 2 men were named. This is the first time their names are recorded in God's Word. 

David asked them both; "WHO WILL GO WITH ME?" One said NOT one word (oh how silence speaks volumes), yet the other man said; "YES, I will go with you!" 

Abishai stuck with David for the next 40 years. Through the battles, losses, plus the good and bad times. He never left David. We do not read about Ahimelech and David again. 

In matter of fact, as we read on we read about another giant killing. Yes! Most of us only recall David killing Goliath, but there is another in David's lifetime. [Actually, several others! Rd. vs.18-22]

Read: 2 Sam. 21:16-17 "And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was armed with a new sword, thought to kill David. ¹⁷ But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”

The ERV version wrote; "Then David's men told him to not let Abishai go out to battle anymore. If you do, Israel may loose it's brightest leader!"

I personally want to be the one to say; YES to my God when He asks me if I will 'GO' with Him. 

No matter how big the battle, how impossible it appears...I want to GO with my God to that place of appointment. Where the battle is turned to great revival; A place of miracles that only God can do. 

As fellow warriors in the Army of God; we ask as

missionaries; "Will you go with us?"  

"Will you stay with us as we continue to march forward?" 

"Will you pray, fight, stand beside us and even help us with your financial support to help us to continue to go on?"

I am sure all of those 40 years wasn't easy whatsoever! There was the intensity of war, there was the waiting time, there was the period of hiding and we could continue on the path David and his men walked, and marched as they pursued God's purpose. 

As your missionaries:

We cannot promise you where we will be, how we will be doing it and even how long in one place or the other. I can say, there will be giants that will come against us and even you. They will try to destroy the work God wants. 

God can empower us to kill the giants in our way. But, we must do this together. 

Personally, I must say; we need you our Abishai's!

Will you go with us?

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TRANSITIONS - THE JOURNEY OF SERVING by Daneille Gray Snowden

copyright(c)2020 Daneille Gray Snowden

2020

TRANSITIONS - THE JOURNEY OF  SERVING

from Daneille Gray Snowden

My friend; I want to encourage you to be able to courageously embrace the transitions in your life. Some are easy aren't they; such as new house or car? Others are not; like a great loss,  failures, closed doors and ended relationships are all a part of transitions in life. The great joys, and deep sorrows are tools that shape us, as we are 'forged' (in the fire) to be placed onto yet another track to travel-on in life.  

Let's begin just with a simple reminder of what transition is; I think regardless of our education and years of wisdom, it is good to go back to the basics. 

TRANSITION:  a passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another : CHANGE

                             a musical modulation: ♪

"Modulation is the essential part of the art. Without it there is little music, for a piece derives its true beauty not from the large number of fixed modes which it embraces but rather from the subtle fabric of its modulation."

— Charles-Henri Blainville (1767)

                              "an abrupt change in energy state or level (as of an atomic nucleus or a molecule) usually accompanied by loss or gain of a single quantum of energy..."  --Merriam Webster

As any of us walk through life, we begin with great aspirations, don't we? 

In any career, including missions (as missionaries) we take each step 'required' of us, believing then it will then fling open the obvious next step that was 'PLANNED!' 

I believe when God created each of us; He placed a need to live out His Purpose for us personally. Thus, the 'NEED' to fulfill this is so deep and drives us to continue to move forward.

When one gives up and stops in the middle of the 'RACE' of life; defeat sets-in: a horrible feeling of failure overwhelms us as we are not looking up, but down in defeat.                                                              What we need to realize, more times than NOT; we are facing a place of transition. [Some of us fight that.] We think we need to keep running one direction; when in fact the race has completely changed course. 

My husband in high school was a Cross Country Runner. There were meets in different locations across the state. They all were quite different. Did he run from one place to the other? Of course not! He had to rest, be transported, trained and even re-think his strategy. 

I like the 'Musical Modulation' definition to TRANSITION. It's perfect! The author said; "...without it, there is very little music..." 

WOW! Think about it; life has taken many turns with ups and downs. 

Yet, it is beautiful if we allow it to be. 

We have traveled the United States and South Africa (Mozambique, South Africa & Swaziland) plus, Brad has traveled in Europe as I have in India & Jamaica. If it all was the same simple path; where would the beauty be? I love the mountains (even though driving in them can be a little on the 'shaky' side). There are many turns but beautiful scenery. 

This Musical Modulation (transition) will also bring great HARMONY in our life with our God as He unites us with others who not only need to know Him as their Lord, but ones we can serve together to increase God's Kingdom! Together, all flowing beautifully, as ONE drawing others to Jesus. 

HARMONY AS ONE! 

John 17:23 "I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

In TRANSITIONS; one of the many things I have learned was what I thought was essential for happiness, success and needed to attain for my goals, were no longer needed for this new time of change. 

Perhaps yes, equipment was needed to scale some of the mountains of my life. Yet, not so much when I am needing to only swim in the great oceans. Cool, comfortable clothing is great in the tropics, but in the brutal winters of Northern Countries -give me a thick, feather-down coat! 

Philippians 3:7 Paul said: "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ."

This is a man that definitely walked the missionary journey of transitions!

v. 8-16 says: "What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but 

I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 

13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Following Paul’s Example

15 "All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained."

Dear Ones; study this passage. Dissect it! Tare it apart and see where Paul is coming from, where he went and then ended. 

Life is more than 'THINGS' & 'POSITIONS' - trust me! v.15 said those who are mature; 'take such a view of things.'   Let us have this 'MIND SET!' 

The TRANSITIONS will mean LOSS! Yet, we gain everything because we GAIN KNOWING JESUS! We gain accomplishing HIS WILL, IN HIS WAY AND IN HIS TIME!

The Lord has told me over and over again as I have dealt with a great share of heart break and loss; to just 'FALL IN LOVE WITH ME' - Daneille; 'KNOW ME DEEPER!'

As I do, the journey goes down paths to the most amazing places and people.

We are yet in another TRANSITION in our life as we move from being 'field-missionaries' to 'itinerant missionaries' (for awhile); looking into different places to minister in Africa and India. Pray as we are believing the Lord to fling open this door and use us accordingly. 

We are 'letting-go' of our methodology and just walking through the paths God has brought us to. It's definitely not easy; but rewarding. 

How about you, what new place of TRANSITION has God led you to? Ask God to give you His vision in this; as you do, your peace will increase. Anticipation and hope will bubble up in your spirit. Your feet will begin to move again!

GO & RUN YOUR RACE!