God's Handmaiden - No. 74

Psalm 86:16, “O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid.”

David is in a day of trouble. He is poor and needy. Violent men are after him. And as always, he cries to the Lord for help. David always turned to the Lord in his hour of need. He knew God as his Rock, his Fortress, his High Tower and his Deliverer.

However, David says something very interesting in this plea for help. “Save the son of thy handmaid,” he cries to God. David, the king of all Israel was not ashamed to acknowledge his mother. The Scripture does not tell us her name but we see something of her character in David’s prayer. David understood that God knew his mother. She was a godly woman. She was a bondslave of the Lord, which is the meaning of ‘handmaid.’ The Hebrew word for ‘handmaid' is ‘amah’ and means, ‘female servant, bondswoman.’ David’s mother was obviously not a servant of the house of Jesse but noted in Scripture as God’s bondslave. Do you notice that David doesn’t say, “Jesse’s handmaid”, but “Thy handmaid.”

In David’s prayer, he is actually saying, “Lord, remember me. I am the son of my mother, your servant. Remember her daily and diligent prayers for me that are before your throne. Remember her dedication to you. Deliver me Lord, because of your bondslave.”

Oh dear mothers, I would love that testimony, wouldn’t you? Oh that our children can cry out to God in their hour of need and say, “Lord, deliver me. I am the son (or daughter) of your bondslave. Her prayers are before your throne, Lord. You know her, Lord. Hear my cry because of the faithfulness of my mother.”

David mentions his mother again in Psalm 116:16, “O Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.” David freely confesses that he is a servant of the Lord. But even more, he openly acknowledges that he was born of a woman who is God’s servant. It was not only David that freely expressed these words about his mother, but also the Holy Spirit, who inspired every word of the Holy Scriptures, counted this worthy of being recorded.

As a bondslave of the Lord, David’s mother birthed and raised a king of Israel. As a bondslave of the Lord, Mary was privileged to bring forth the King of kings and Lord of lords. In the face of shame, ridicule and misunderstanding this humble born woman confessed, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38)

Do you notice that Mary was not a bondslave of anyone else but of the Lord? She was the “handmaiden of the Lord”, ready and waiting to obey His command.

As you yield yourself as a bondslave of the Lord, open to His will and purposes for your life, who knows who will come forth from your womb to bless this world? You will not only birth them but raise them to also become servants of the Lord.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Oh God, it is my privilege to be your humble bondslave. Help me to be a faithful handmaid, always ready to obey your command. Oh Lord, please help me to live in such a way that my children will know that I have your ear in the courts of heaven. Help me to be faithful in prayer for my children. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION: