OK...turning the page ~
I am now turning from the story of Ruth and Boaz to the story of David. His story is crazy long in scripture. To read it all you must look at lots of books: 1 and 2 Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and, of course, Psalms.
I warn you, I will probably hop-scotch around a bit, rather than write a nice, neat chronological study of David "from ____________ to _______________". I have found already as I pondered him that my thoughts are kind of all over the show.
See, I love this character. He is by NO means perfect. He does some really really really screwy things and makes some really really REALLY bad decisions. But ~ the thing that completely redeems him in my eyes is that he wants, pursues, and lives his life (as much as that life is revealed to us in scripture) in a vital, vibrant, intimate personal relationship with God. He doesn't try to be "good" -- I mean, he is good ~ quite often in the story. But whether he is making good decisions or stupidly bad decisions, he just seems to have an ACTUAL relationship with God -- talks to Him, questions Him, believes Him. God is real to David. I know, I know ~ that sounds so obvious.
I am tempted to say that the best thing about him is that David is not religious.* The relationship he has with God is not based on, nor seemingly motivated by activity in or around the tabernacle. David lived most of his life and established a vital relationship with God outside of the structured community of the religious activities centered around the tabernacle or the temple...yet he (see Chronicles) later in his life, when he was king, set in place an elaborate structure for the priests and prophets and worship leaders. To me, this relationship makes David real and complex and surprising and ... quite frankly ... helps me in my own relationship with God. See? Complex! The best definition I have of what I am drawn to in this complex man is found for me in what God calls him, "A man after My own heart." (1 Samuel 13:14) So next blog I will begin considering David the boy at the beginning of his story. So, come read with me!
1 Samuel 16 and 17.
*(OK, before any of you 'band-wagon' on me and want to digress into a brawl about that word: religion ~ please let me do some defining. When I use the word "religion" I am going to mean "activities that are in some form or another liturgical BUT are devoid of intimacy with God, and are often motivated by manipulation and a desire to force the hand of God in an 'if You will __________________ then I will ______________________.' manner". What I do NOT mean, is any form of activity, especially liturgical activity, participated in by church/synagogue/temple going people that is or is not comfortable to you, as in, "they raise their hands", "they read pre-written prayers from a prayer book", "they kneel", "they sing hymns", .... any of it! Some time I may actually write a blog about religion. Not now though...so, chill on the variety of "religion-definitions" hot buttons, please. O K ???)
I warn you, I will probably hop-scotch around a bit, rather than write a nice, neat chronological study of David "from ____________ to _______________". I have found already as I pondered him that my thoughts are kind of all over the show.
See, I love this character. He is by NO means perfect. He does some really really really screwy things and makes some really really REALLY bad decisions. But ~ the thing that completely redeems him in my eyes is that he wants, pursues, and lives his life (as much as that life is revealed to us in scripture) in a vital, vibrant, intimate personal relationship with God. He doesn't try to be "good" -- I mean, he is good ~ quite often in the story. But whether he is making good decisions or stupidly bad decisions, he just seems to have an ACTUAL relationship with God -- talks to Him, questions Him, believes Him. God is real to David. I know, I know ~ that sounds so obvious.
I am tempted to say that the best thing about him is that David is not religious.* The relationship he has with God is not based on, nor seemingly motivated by activity in or around the tabernacle. David lived most of his life and established a vital relationship with God outside of the structured community of the religious activities centered around the tabernacle or the temple...yet he (see Chronicles) later in his life, when he was king, set in place an elaborate structure for the priests and prophets and worship leaders. To me, this relationship makes David real and complex and surprising and ... quite frankly ... helps me in my own relationship with God. See? Complex! The best definition I have of what I am drawn to in this complex man is found for me in what God calls him, "A man after My own heart." (1 Samuel 13:14) So next blog I will begin considering David the boy at the beginning of his story. So, come read with me!
1 Samuel 16 and 17.
*(OK, before any of you 'band-wagon' on me and want to digress into a brawl about that word: religion ~ please let me do some defining. When I use the word "religion" I am going to mean "activities that are in some form or another liturgical BUT are devoid of intimacy with God, and are often motivated by manipulation and a desire to force the hand of God in an 'if You will __________________ then I will ______________________.' manner". What I do NOT mean, is any form of activity, especially liturgical activity, participated in by church/synagogue/temple going people that is or is not comfortable to you, as in, "they raise their hands", "they read pre-written prayers from a prayer book", "they kneel", "they sing hymns", .... any of it! Some time I may actually write a blog about religion. Not now though...so, chill on the variety of "religion-definitions" hot buttons, please. O K ???)
Comments
Post a Comment