A Balm In Gilead

604 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 19:31-36, “And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king, to escort him across the Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. And he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. 33 And the king said to Barzillai, "Come across with me, and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem." 34 But Barzillai said to the king, "How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 "I am today eighty years old. Can I discern between the good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king? 36 "Your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king. And why should the king repay me with such a reward? (2 Sam 19:31-36) Barzillai the Gileadite was an aged loyal subject of David. He was also wealthy and had provided supplies for David and his men over and above what they needed when David was running from Absalom. When I think of Gilead, the old hymn “There Is A Balm In Gilead comes to mind. “There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. There's power enough in heaven to cure a sin-sick soul.” Barzillai was that Balm to David when he needed it, Jesus is that balm to us. But still another aspect of Barzillai that I want to touch on is his understanding of simply doing his duty for the king. Though blessed by the Lord with power and wealth, he subjected himself to the king. He understood well the relationship between servant and master. He knew his generosity was “just doing his duty. As Jesus said in Lu 17:7 "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? 8 "But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'? 9 "Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'" Let us adopt the attitude of Barzillai, and stop patting ourselves on the back or expect immediate rewards for our good deeds. Rather let's just spend our days in generous gratitude and servitude to our great King Jesus.