The Woman Who Saved a City

Wednesday 5-11-2016  (Gaiman, Patagonian Bible Institute, Argentina) 

Scripture Reading:  2 Sam 19 - 20    Ps 55    Matt 28

S=Scripture  O=Observation  A=Application  P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.  2 Sam 20:16-17 Then a wise woman cried out from the city, "Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, 'Come nearby, that I may speak with you.'" When he had come near to her, the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening." NKJV

O.  A man named Sheba had blown the trumpet and started a rebellion against King David.  Joab, David’s fierce Army General, had chased Sheba and his men into this city.  He now had the city under siege and was tearing down one of the walls to enter.  One brave woman was more powerful than a whole army... for with her wisdom she saved the entire city from destruction.  Only the rebel leader, Sheba, had to die that day. This nameless woman was a peacemaker.  She not only convinced this terribly fierce man, Joab, to stop his advance, she also had to convince the people of the city to capture and destroy Sheba who was the cancer that needed to be identified and eliminated. 

A.  Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers...”  Years ago I found myself in the role of “peacemaker”.  I will not bring up the details, but Missionary Norman Campbell and I were chosen to make a long trip to a given location to calm a storm.  Several of our fine pastors had been turned against their own organization and were at the point of separating, along with their churches, from their brothers.  We went, saturated in prayer and with humble hearts, open to hear our brother’s side of the situation and with God’s help we were able to calm the troubled waters.  For several years, as I served in my role of leadership, I found myself taking an early initiative to “save the city” before situations were even known to the public. God had given me the privilege of serving as His “peacemaker” for a brief period.

P.  Lord, her name never appears in Your history book... but without doubt You know her well.  She may have never been honored publically, but she saved the lives of many that day. May I seek no honors, only the joy of fulfilling Your bidding at any and all stages in my fluid, ever-changing career. Amen.

Ralph