Proper 9
Devotional
Streams of Living Water
Lectionary Devotional for Cycle B
Object:
2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10
And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.
-- 2 Samuel 5:10
Contained in these verses is the story of David uniting all Israel under his rule and making Jerusalem the capital of his kingdom. For the community of faith, it is more than a political history. David, who had been anointed by the prophet Samuel, traveled a long journey before he was recognized as king. After Saul's death, he became king of Judah in the south, but one of Saul's sons was made king of Israel. It was seven years and six months later that the people of Israel finally acknowledged David as king over all of Israel. God's purpose took time to unfold. It was worked out in what would seem to be some rather unsavory events such as the assassination of Abner and the assassination of Saul's son, Ishbosheth.
There is no suggestion that God was instrumental in the assassinations, but it is clear that God was not absent from the events and allowed them to become part of the events that led to the fulfillment of the divine intention. It is difficult for the church to recognize that even less than admirable events can be transformed within the church to bring about God's purpose. It often requires both faith and patience to trust in the unfolding purpose of God within a church when you believe that the people are making decisions that are not consistent with God's intentions. Yet this is what Paul was talking about when he said, "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
David would proceed from his anointing by the people of Israel to establish his capital in the formerly Jebusite city of Jerusalem. Here was a city that had been occupied by people that were neither part of Israel nor Judah. It became a city that could serve to unite the formerly divided people. Sometimes, in order to unite factions within the community of faith, it is necessary to provide the people with a higher loyalty than that reflected by any of their positions. Jerusalem was established as the city of peace. It became David's city, and it was only by the hand of God that David was able to unite all of Israel.
Psalm 48
We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.
-- Psalm 48:9
Psalm 48 is a song of victory to be sung at the return of a conquering hero. In the flush of victory, the hero's city basks in the fame of victory. "Within its citadels, God has shown himself a sure defense" (v. 3). When the military forces assembled against the warrior (v. 4), they immediately were thrown into panic (vv. 5-7). The conquering warrior that Israel celebrates is God whose power extends to the control of nature: "... as when an east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish" (v. 7). Unlike ordinary military heroes, God's victory reflects a steadfast love (v. 9), God's very name evokes praise that "reaches to the ends of the earth" (v. 10), and God's judgments are cause for rejoicing (v. 11). The place of God's presence evokes a sense of security (vv. 12-13) that can be confidently passed on from generation to generation (v. 14).
While the military imagery is at first difficult for the Christian, it becomes important when we acknowledge our fear of the power of evil to work its will in this world. The psalmist contrasts the power of this world reflected in the assembled kings (v. 4) with God's power. While we are too often ready to concede to worldly displays of power, the psalmist sees the kings trembling in panic before God (v. 6). It is in assembling in the place of worship and reflecting on the steadfast love of God (v. 9) that we discover a true sense of security (vv. 12-14) and so are delivered from evil. Evil in this world is very real, but it is always subordinate to God. Worship becomes our continual reminder that God, and not the powers of this world, is still in charge.
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.
-- 2 Corinthians 12:7b
There is no common agreement as to what the thorn was that Paul is referring to. It has become a familiar metaphor for many who are burdened by a particular malady or weakness in their journey of faith. Because Paul was not writing an autobiography but rather a letter to the church, it is important to apply the metaphor to the church as well. It is easy to look with envy on what outwardly appear to be very successful churches. More than one staff change has taken place within churches because the people compared what was happening within their church to what was happening to some other church that appeared more successful. More than a few clergy and members have grown greatly discouraged in their spiritual journey because of what they failed to see taking place within their church.
Rarely do we recognize what Paul is referring to as the danger of being too successful. Yet, the arrogant behavior of churches more frequently results from the churches' successes than from their failures. Churches rarely approach problems or failures as faith opportunities. Paul was willing to affirm that a "messenger of Satan" was actually an instrument of God in reminding him that his hope was not in his greatness but in the sovereignty of God. It is perhaps in the midst of struggle, conflict, and even failure that as Christians we are most willing to learn again, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness" (v. 9). What are the faith opportunities that you can discern in the areas of weakness that are most obvious in your faith community?
Mark 6:1-13
And he was amazed at their unbelief.
-- Mark 6:6
Do we sometimes become so familiar with the trappings of faith that we are resistant to the miracle of God in our midst? Could Jesus' neighbors not get beyond the familiar to recognize the divine in their midst? Why were the people of Jesus' hometown so skeptical? What were they afraid of that made them so resistant to responding in faith? They had heard his words as he taught them in the synagogue and were astounded. "Where did this man get all this?" (v. 2). Immediately they began to question how the son of a local carpenter with whom they were neighbors could possibly have such wisdom and power. Could they not believe that it was possible for God to speak to them through the familiar? Do we insist that God can only come to us through the dark and mysterious?
What if Christ were to meet us in our neighbor or a brother or sister, could we hear God in such a familiar person whose weaknesses we know? How do we listen to God in those who live everyday lives near us? For many Christians, the experience of the divine in their lives is not through the miraculous but through the ordinary experiences of life. It is in the regular gathering for worship that we experience strength from God. It is the daily strength of friends that provide us with a taste of God's grace. It is in the practice of forgiveness for the small hypocrisies in the church that we recognize God's forgiveness in our own lives. It is not in the miraculous events but in the daily routine of faith through which we recognize Christ's presence.
And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.
-- 2 Samuel 5:10
Contained in these verses is the story of David uniting all Israel under his rule and making Jerusalem the capital of his kingdom. For the community of faith, it is more than a political history. David, who had been anointed by the prophet Samuel, traveled a long journey before he was recognized as king. After Saul's death, he became king of Judah in the south, but one of Saul's sons was made king of Israel. It was seven years and six months later that the people of Israel finally acknowledged David as king over all of Israel. God's purpose took time to unfold. It was worked out in what would seem to be some rather unsavory events such as the assassination of Abner and the assassination of Saul's son, Ishbosheth.
There is no suggestion that God was instrumental in the assassinations, but it is clear that God was not absent from the events and allowed them to become part of the events that led to the fulfillment of the divine intention. It is difficult for the church to recognize that even less than admirable events can be transformed within the church to bring about God's purpose. It often requires both faith and patience to trust in the unfolding purpose of God within a church when you believe that the people are making decisions that are not consistent with God's intentions. Yet this is what Paul was talking about when he said, "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
David would proceed from his anointing by the people of Israel to establish his capital in the formerly Jebusite city of Jerusalem. Here was a city that had been occupied by people that were neither part of Israel nor Judah. It became a city that could serve to unite the formerly divided people. Sometimes, in order to unite factions within the community of faith, it is necessary to provide the people with a higher loyalty than that reflected by any of their positions. Jerusalem was established as the city of peace. It became David's city, and it was only by the hand of God that David was able to unite all of Israel.
Psalm 48
We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.
-- Psalm 48:9
Psalm 48 is a song of victory to be sung at the return of a conquering hero. In the flush of victory, the hero's city basks in the fame of victory. "Within its citadels, God has shown himself a sure defense" (v. 3). When the military forces assembled against the warrior (v. 4), they immediately were thrown into panic (vv. 5-7). The conquering warrior that Israel celebrates is God whose power extends to the control of nature: "... as when an east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish" (v. 7). Unlike ordinary military heroes, God's victory reflects a steadfast love (v. 9), God's very name evokes praise that "reaches to the ends of the earth" (v. 10), and God's judgments are cause for rejoicing (v. 11). The place of God's presence evokes a sense of security (vv. 12-13) that can be confidently passed on from generation to generation (v. 14).
While the military imagery is at first difficult for the Christian, it becomes important when we acknowledge our fear of the power of evil to work its will in this world. The psalmist contrasts the power of this world reflected in the assembled kings (v. 4) with God's power. While we are too often ready to concede to worldly displays of power, the psalmist sees the kings trembling in panic before God (v. 6). It is in assembling in the place of worship and reflecting on the steadfast love of God (v. 9) that we discover a true sense of security (vv. 12-14) and so are delivered from evil. Evil in this world is very real, but it is always subordinate to God. Worship becomes our continual reminder that God, and not the powers of this world, is still in charge.
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.
-- 2 Corinthians 12:7b
There is no common agreement as to what the thorn was that Paul is referring to. It has become a familiar metaphor for many who are burdened by a particular malady or weakness in their journey of faith. Because Paul was not writing an autobiography but rather a letter to the church, it is important to apply the metaphor to the church as well. It is easy to look with envy on what outwardly appear to be very successful churches. More than one staff change has taken place within churches because the people compared what was happening within their church to what was happening to some other church that appeared more successful. More than a few clergy and members have grown greatly discouraged in their spiritual journey because of what they failed to see taking place within their church.
Rarely do we recognize what Paul is referring to as the danger of being too successful. Yet, the arrogant behavior of churches more frequently results from the churches' successes than from their failures. Churches rarely approach problems or failures as faith opportunities. Paul was willing to affirm that a "messenger of Satan" was actually an instrument of God in reminding him that his hope was not in his greatness but in the sovereignty of God. It is perhaps in the midst of struggle, conflict, and even failure that as Christians we are most willing to learn again, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness" (v. 9). What are the faith opportunities that you can discern in the areas of weakness that are most obvious in your faith community?
Mark 6:1-13
And he was amazed at their unbelief.
-- Mark 6:6
Do we sometimes become so familiar with the trappings of faith that we are resistant to the miracle of God in our midst? Could Jesus' neighbors not get beyond the familiar to recognize the divine in their midst? Why were the people of Jesus' hometown so skeptical? What were they afraid of that made them so resistant to responding in faith? They had heard his words as he taught them in the synagogue and were astounded. "Where did this man get all this?" (v. 2). Immediately they began to question how the son of a local carpenter with whom they were neighbors could possibly have such wisdom and power. Could they not believe that it was possible for God to speak to them through the familiar? Do we insist that God can only come to us through the dark and mysterious?
What if Christ were to meet us in our neighbor or a brother or sister, could we hear God in such a familiar person whose weaknesses we know? How do we listen to God in those who live everyday lives near us? For many Christians, the experience of the divine in their lives is not through the miraculous but through the ordinary experiences of life. It is in the regular gathering for worship that we experience strength from God. It is the daily strength of friends that provide us with a taste of God's grace. It is in the practice of forgiveness for the small hypocrisies in the church that we recognize God's forgiveness in our own lives. It is not in the miraculous events but in the daily routine of faith through which we recognize Christ's presence.
