Within the wilderness tales of Chapters 24-26, David proves himself to be the true king of Israel. In these scenes, David refuses to take the future into his own hands and, thereby, refuses to kill Saul or follow “eye for an eye” ethics. David’s disciplined patience show him to be meek, foreshadowing Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). “‘Meekness’ designates the controlled strength that turns it back on self-aggrandizing opportunism and stands patiently firm while waiting for God’s “day" and timing. In honoring Saul as God’s anointed, David honors God, who works his will in history when and where and how he wills" (Peterson, First and Second Samuel 123).
Moreover, this chapter reveals the profound difference between Saul and David. David refuses to use his weapon. But, is Saul ever without his spear? While in his court, Saul threw his spear at David in Chapters 18 and 19. And in Chapter 20, Saul tries to kill his own son Jonathan with the same spear. In Chapter 22, Saul is seated “with his spear in hand.” Now, years later, when David comes upon him, Saul’s spear is right beside him (v 7).
However, what is most compelling about this chapter and the entire book is that it is “an immersion in the human condition with all its glory and hurt, promise and difficulty. But, we’re never left with mere humanity, mere history. The skill of the narrator keeps us alert to the presence and purposes of God being worked out in this story. We’re being trained to read between the lines, for much of this story is implicit. But it’s unmistakably there - David isn’t David apart from God. None of us is. Most of what we’re reading in David is God in David (Leap Over a Wall 137).”
“The David story keeps us in touch with our humanity - all of which has to do with God. There’s no part of our humanity that isn’t God-created and God-conditioned. The David story is a primary way in which the Holy Spirit keeps us in touch, alert, and responsive to the gravity and ground of our lives in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and alert to the reality of evil that would destroy or weaken our humanity.” (Leap Over a Wall 137).
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
my first regatta in ten years!
Yesterday had a lot of religious significance: Rosh Hashannah for Judaism and the Marrakesh for Islam. Oddly enough, it did for me too because it's about this time of year that I miss rowing. The weather is getting crisp as a Granny Smith and the leaves are starting to turn. I want to feel the speed and the coolness of the water. This time of the year represents all the things I miss about it.
So, when you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with. I raced on a sailboat this weekend for the first time and had a great time. The new art teacher at my school owns a J/27 and invited me to crew for him. I immediately accepted.We had two races on Saturday and one today-- we got second in all three. Saturday's wind hovered between 4-7 nauts and Sunday's 6-10 knots (I don't know how to spell this not, knot, naut.) I need to learn knots to be helpful; Richard went off on a diatribe about how useless Girl Scouts is when he found out my cluelessness regarding knots. I learned so much. There are so many terms (clew, tack, pinch, scream, spinnaker, halyard, lift wind vs. head wind). Plus, there were all the flags. The strategy was fun too. There were about 36 boats in the race.
The crew were four guys who have been sailing together for at least 10 years; the banter between the crusty sailers was fantastic. They were encouraging and fun. There were aspects that were brand new and extremely familiar. It was different to be excited about heavy wind. Choppy water wasn't a good thing in rowing and a great thing this weekend. Sailing isn't the workout that rowing is, but I came home with tired muscles-- there's tugging, lifting, etc.
Then I drove home from Lake Norman, took a nap, went for a 5 mile run and gearing up for my classwork for my LE class. Yippee, yi, yay. I had an exhausting, depleting week at work. I needed this beautiful, fun weekend. I'm slowly learning that leaving work alone when you leave makes me a better, saner, happier, more productive teacher.
This adventure in rowing reminded me what an adventure life can be, how many kind and generous people there are, how beautiful God's creation is, and how good our God is! It was no official religious observance for my faith, it was spontaneous observance.
So, when you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with. I raced on a sailboat this weekend for the first time and had a great time. The new art teacher at my school owns a J/27 and invited me to crew for him. I immediately accepted.We had two races on Saturday and one today-- we got second in all three. Saturday's wind hovered between 4-7 nauts and Sunday's 6-10 knots (I don't know how to spell this not, knot, naut.) I need to learn knots to be helpful; Richard went off on a diatribe about how useless Girl Scouts is when he found out my cluelessness regarding knots. I learned so much. There are so many terms (clew, tack, pinch, scream, spinnaker, halyard, lift wind vs. head wind). Plus, there were all the flags. The strategy was fun too. There were about 36 boats in the race.
The crew were four guys who have been sailing together for at least 10 years; the banter between the crusty sailers was fantastic. They were encouraging and fun. There were aspects that were brand new and extremely familiar. It was different to be excited about heavy wind. Choppy water wasn't a good thing in rowing and a great thing this weekend. Sailing isn't the workout that rowing is, but I came home with tired muscles-- there's tugging, lifting, etc.
Then I drove home from Lake Norman, took a nap, went for a 5 mile run and gearing up for my classwork for my LE class. Yippee, yi, yay. I had an exhausting, depleting week at work. I needed this beautiful, fun weekend. I'm slowly learning that leaving work alone when you leave makes me a better, saner, happier, more productive teacher.
This adventure in rowing reminded me what an adventure life can be, how many kind and generous people there are, how beautiful God's creation is, and how good our God is! It was no official religious observance for my faith, it was spontaneous observance.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
rejected: 2 Cor 6
I wrote this for another blog and the girl decided that a tale of lovelorn woe was a better fit. So, I like this piece and wanted it to have a home. It's rather apropos for a piece on this passage to get rejected, eh?
Jon Krakauer chose Pat Tillman as the subject of his new book, Where Men Win Glory. As the author of Into Thin Air and Into the Wild, Krakauer has a nose for adventure gone awry. As Paul wrote earlier, we are made in the image of a beautiful and adventurous God, and heaven is the adventure for which we are preparing. But, the practice and endurance workouts we’re doing are both excruciating and tedious similar to the crisises Krakauer's subjects face.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574406732146520274.html
Paul addresses our preparation for heaven in 2 Corinthians 6: 4-10 with a complex, compound sentence both grammatically and theologically.
People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we're beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we're telling the truth, and when God's showing his power; when we're doing our best setting things right; when we're praised, and when we're blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.
As daunting as this sentence is, it is anything but boring. This sentence tells of a passion far greater than any desire to climb a mountain or win a war.
“Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!” (v 11-13The Message)
This passage is reminiscent of a scene in Mark’s Gospel:
As Jesus left the house, he was followed by two blind men crying out, “Mercy, Son of David! Mercy on us!” When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, “Do you really believe I can do this?” They said, “Why, yes, Master!”
He touched their eyes and said, “Become what you believe.” It happened. They saw. (Mark 9: 28-30 The Message)
These passages are calls to a life of adventure not comfort, safety or ease. Like the risk-takers that Krakauer chronicles, we have license to enter this wide-open spacious life… to open up our lives and live openly and expansively. Our lives are not determined by our circumstances but by the mystery of our new creation through Jesus.
Jon Krakauer chose Pat Tillman as the subject of his new book, Where Men Win Glory. As the author of Into Thin Air and Into the Wild, Krakauer has a nose for adventure gone awry. As Paul wrote earlier, we are made in the image of a beautiful and adventurous God, and heaven is the adventure for which we are preparing. But, the practice and endurance workouts we’re doing are both excruciating and tedious similar to the crisises Krakauer's subjects face.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574406732146520274.html
Paul addresses our preparation for heaven in 2 Corinthians 6: 4-10 with a complex, compound sentence both grammatically and theologically.
People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we're beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we're telling the truth, and when God's showing his power; when we're doing our best setting things right; when we're praised, and when we're blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.
As daunting as this sentence is, it is anything but boring. This sentence tells of a passion far greater than any desire to climb a mountain or win a war.
“Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!” (v 11-13The Message)
This passage is reminiscent of a scene in Mark’s Gospel:
As Jesus left the house, he was followed by two blind men crying out, “Mercy, Son of David! Mercy on us!” When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, “Do you really believe I can do this?” They said, “Why, yes, Master!”
He touched their eyes and said, “Become what you believe.” It happened. They saw. (Mark 9: 28-30 The Message)
These passages are calls to a life of adventure not comfort, safety or ease. Like the risk-takers that Krakauer chronicles, we have license to enter this wide-open spacious life… to open up our lives and live openly and expansively. Our lives are not determined by our circumstances but by the mystery of our new creation through Jesus.
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