Keepers
Are you a keeper? I’ve been told by my wife that I am a keeper and I take that as a compliment, but that’s not what I’m talking about. A keeper is someone critically important. A keeper is someone who can be trusted to receive and care for the property belonging to someone else. In the story of David and Goliath, David depends on the service of two keepers. The first keeper was left watching the sheep and the second keeper was one who kept the supplies David brought to the battlefield.
SCRIPTURES
“So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took [the things] and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. 21 For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. 22 And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers.“ I Samuel 17:20-22
David’s mission would not have been possible had it not been for the faithful service of keepers. Those keepers were exactly where David needed them to be and willing to step up and do what David needed them to do. It says something about you when someone leaves what they care about in your hands. But what does it say? It says that you are believed to be highly responsible. It says that you have gained someone’s personal trust. It says that you are willing to do your part in order to free someone else to do their part. Those two keepers had no idea how great of a mission David was on and how critical is was to be a keeper.
A keeper is a keeper because they keep and don’t lose what has been given to them. So what has been given to you? There’s much to consider as you look over this list, which is not an exhausted list, evaluate how well you are keeping these things:
The apostle Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” Are you keeping the faith?
Are you keeping in fellowship? John writes, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” I John 1:7
Are you keeping yourself from idols? “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” I John 5:21
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude1:21 How are you keeping yourself in the love of God?
”Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3 Are you keeping yourself united in the Spirit?
Are you keeping yourself pure? “Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.” I Timothy 5:22
”If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15 Are you keeping His commandments?
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” John 14:23 To keep God’s word means more than keeping a Bible in the house. It means to obey His word and to hold it near to your heart like it is an absolute treasure. To keep God’s word means to keep it like it is, without trying to make it say something it doesn’t say.
”More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Luke 11:28
Keep your focus! Keep the gospel! Keep your witness! Keep your burden for those who are lost! Keep and don’t lose what has been freely placed into your care. Keep it as if your life depended on it. The amazing thing about this idea of being a keeper is that our God is a keeper Himself, and will never lose what He has bought with the precious blood of His Son, Jesus Christ!