It’s Not What’s on the Outside That Counts

•June 11, 2012 • 1 Comment

To stay on a royal theme, in Britain there is a very clear line of succession – who will take the throne next.  It can get very involved once you get passed the first few, but basically the eldest child (currently the eldest son, but that is likely to change) follows on the reign of their parent, unless something unusual happens, like the abdication of Edward VIII that brought the Queens father to the throne.

God’s people were still getting to grips with kings and succession – but God was determined to get it right.

34 Samuel went home to Ramah, and Saul returned to his home in Gibeah. 35 Even though Samuel felt sad about Saul, Samuel never saw him again.

The Lord Chooses David To Be King

The Lord was sorry he had made Saul the king of Israel. 16 1 One day he said, “Samuel, I’ve rejected Saul, and I refuse to let him be king any longer. Stop feeling sad about him. Put some olive oil in a small container and go visit a man named Jesse, who lives in Bethlehem. I’ve chosen one of his sons to be my king.”

2 Samuel answered, “If I do that, Saul will find out and have me killed.”

“Take a calf with you,” the Lord replied. “Tell everyone that you’ve come to offer it as a sacrifice to me, 3 then invite Jesse to the sacrifice. When I show you which one of his sons I have chosen, pour the olive oil on his head.”

4 Samuel did what the Lord told him and went to Bethlehem. The town leaders went to meet him, but they were terribly afraid and asked, “Is this a friendly visit?”

5 “Yes, it is!” Samuel answered. “I’ve come to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. Get yourselves ready to take part in the sacrifice and come with me.” Samuel also invited Jesse and his sons to come to the sacrifice, and he got them ready to take part.

6 When Jesse and his sons arrived, Samuel noticed Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab. “He has to be the one the Lord has chosen,” Samuel said to himself.

7 But the Lord told him, “Samuel, don’t think Eliab is the one just because he’s tall and handsome. He isn’t the one I’ve chosen. People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by what is in their hearts.”

8 Jesse told his son Abinadab to go over to Samuel, but Samuel said, “No, the Lord hasn’t chosen him.”

9 Next, Jesse sent his son Shammah to him, and Samuel said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen him either.”

10 Jesse had all seven of his sons go over to Samuel. Finally, Samuel said, “Jesse, the Lord hasn’t chosen any of these young men. 11 Do you have any more sons?”

“Yes,” Jesse answered. “My youngest son David is out taking care of the sheep.”

“Send for him!” Samuel said. “We won’t start the ceremony until he gets here.”

12 Jesse sent for David. He was a healthy, good-looking boy with a sparkle in his eyes. As soon as David came, the Lord told Samuel, “He’s the one! Get up and pour the olive oil on his head.”

13 Samuel poured the oil on David’s head while his brothers watched. At that moment, the Spirit of the Lord took control of David and stayed with him from then on.

Samuel returned home to Ramah.

So God’s worries about letting Israel have a king prove to be well-founded! Having Saul as king had not worked well for anyone. So God sets out with a better choice.

Samuel arrives at Jesse’s house knowing only that one of his sons will be king.  The assumption is that Jesse’s oldest son will be the one.  Not only is he the oldest, but he is tall and handsome.  But God has great advice and a good principle,

People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by what is in their hearts.

And so Samuel goes through all of Jesse’s sons, seeking the one God might be looking for to be ruler.  Seven sons later, he still hasn’t found the one.  Are there any more?  Only the youngest son, he looks after the sheep, it’s hardly going to be him is it?  But as soon as David appears, God says, “He’s the one”.  This is the one who can be trusted, who will do things God’s way, not be out to look good.

God isn’t interested in how people look, but in how they behave, how they respond to situation, what is going on in their hearts and lives.

I wonder how often we are guilty of judging people, or even our own lives, by what’s on the outside.  Do they wear the right clothes?  Drive the right car?  Mix with the right people?  Are they young, fit and attractive?  None of these things matter in God’s ways.  It is what is going on in someone’s heart that is the only criteria God looks at.

Is this someone who will listen to his word?  Follow God’s ways?  Love others?  That is what God is looking for – we must not get God’s criteria confused with popular judgements.

Forgive me Lord,

for the time I confuse how someone looks

with how they really are;

may I not be wowed by flashy gimmicks,

those who say the right thing,

or look the right way;

but see instead what they show me of you

and living life your way

Posted in bible, Lectionary, Religion
Tags: , , , , ,

Are You Crazy?

•June 6, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Have you ever done something that has made others think you are crazy?

Perhaps you’ve given up a good job, sold your house in a nice area, taken on something that you never thought you would, followed the call of God in your life?

Jesus and the Ruler of Demons

20 Jesus went back home, and once again such a large crowd gathered that there was no chance even to eat. 21 When Jesus’ family heard what he was doing, they thought he was crazy and went to get him under control.

22 Some teachers of the Law of Moses came from Jerusalem and said, “This man is under the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons! He is even forcing out demons with the help of Beelzebul.”

23 Jesus told the people to gather around him. Then he spoke to them in riddles and said:

How can Satan force himself out? 24 A nation whose people fight each other won’t last very long. 25 And a family that fights won’t last long either. 26 So if Satan fights against himself, that will be the end of him.

27 How can anyone break into the house of a strong man and steal his things, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can take everything.

28 I promise you that any of the sinful things you say or do can be forgiven, no matter how terrible those things are. 29 But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven. That sin will be held against you forever.

30 Jesus said this because the people were saying that he had an evil spirit in him.

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

31 Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. Then they sent someone with a message for him to come out to them. 32 The crowd that was sitting around Jesus told him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside and want to see you.”

33 Jesus asked, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 34 Then he looked at the people sitting around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 35 Anyone who obeys God is my brother or sister or mother.”

Jesus’ family heard what he was doing – and they thought he was crazy.  Nice to have some family support!  You would have thought that those who grew up with Jesus might have grasped something of what he was about – but clearly not!  Perhaps they were trying to save him from the danger they could see coming, perhaps they were embarrassed by his association by the family name, who knows, but they wanted him back under control.

The Teachers of the Law wanted him stopped.  They claimed he was under the power of a demon.  What warped logic is that?  How could someone be freeing people of demons in the name of that demon – that makes no sense, as Jesus points out.

Jesus is facing people on all sides who want him to calm down, rein it in, and start to live a normal life.  He’s showing them up, and they don’t like it.

Is that how Christian life is for you?

Are there people who would really rather prefer it if you weren’t a Christian; or if you really must be that you tone it down?  Are there those who accuse you of having got it wrong and want you to return to a “normal” life?

I’ve never know that, but I know some do.  The constant questioning of what you’re doing, why you bother, do you need to, are you crazy?

Does it help to know that Jesus had that too?  Even the Son of God was challenged about living the way he did.

Jesus has invited us to a new way, to be a part of a new family – his family.  We’re not crazy for following him, for trying to live by God’s ways.

Thank you Lord

that in you I find true sense in life;

a purpose

and a reason.

I pray for those who do not see it that way,

that they may find the truth of you.

And for those who are persecuted by others because of their faith,

we pray for your strength and courage,

to continue to stand with you,

and live as part of your family

Posted in Jesus, Lectionary, Religion
Tags: , ,

Be Careful What You Wish For

•June 5, 2012 • 1 Comment

Great Britain has spent this past weekend celebrating its Queen.  Celebrating her sixty years of faithful service as monarch of this country.  Whether you approve of the monarchy or not, you cannot fault her dedication and commitment – well beyond an age when most of us would expect to be taking life easy, or at least doing what we wanted.

In the UK, we understand what it is to have a King or Queen.

After God’s people had emerged from their time in The Wilderness, they had been ruled by Judges, but now they want to be like everyone else – they want a King:

1 Samuel 8:4-20

4 One day the nation’s leaders came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said, “You are an old man. You set a good example for your sons, but they haven’t followed it. Now we want a king to be our leader,  just like all the other nations. Choose one for us!”

6 Samuel was upset to hear the leaders say they wanted a king, so he prayed about it. 7 The Lord answered:

Samuel, do everything they want you to do. I am really the one they have rejected as their king. 8 Ever since the day I rescued my people from Egypt, they have turned from me to worship idols. Now they are turning away from you. 9 Do everything they ask, but warn them and tell them how a king will treat them.

10 Samuel told the people who were asking for a king what the Lord had said:

11 If you have a king, this is how he will treat you. He will force your sons to join his army. Some of them will ride in his chariots, some will serve in the cavalry, and others will run ahead of his own chariot. 12 Some of them will be officers in charge of a thousand soldiers, and others will be in charge of fifty. Still others will have to farm the king’s land and harvest his crops, or make weapons and parts for his chariots. 13 Your daughters will have to make perfume or do his cooking and baking.

14 The king will take your best fields, as well as your vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his own officials. 15 He will also take a tenth of your grain and grapes and give it to his officers and officials.

16 The king will take your slaves and your best young men and your donkeys and make them do his work. 17 He will also take a tenth of your sheep and goats. You will become the king’s slaves, 18 and you will finally cry out for the Lord to save you from the king you wanted. But the Lord won’t answer your prayers.

19-20 The people would not listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want to be like other nations. We want a king to rule us and lead us in battle.”

For Samuel, the desire for a king, must have seemed like a personal rejection, but God lets’ him know that it is not Samuel and his leadership they are rejecting, but God’s.

God has always looked after his people, cared for them and even taken them back time and again when they have got things wrong, realised their error, and turned back to him.  They had actually never had it so good, but they think it can be better, and so they clamour for a human King.  I don’t know whether they felt in need of a leader “with skin on”, someone they could see; or they just thought the grass would be greener on the other side, but a King they wanted.  But rather like the Hyenas in The Lion King, they were expecting a king in their image, someone who would do more what they wanted

God tries to warn them that having a king will be anything but.  Turning to a human king will have implications for them all – serious ones, but they were adamant,

We want to be like other nations. We want a king to rule us and lead us in battle.

And the rest, they say, is history…

How often do we long for something else?  Something easier, something more tangible, to be like ‘all the rest’?

Are we bored of God’s ways, and want to try it another way?

Are there other things we want to be ‘King’ in our lives?

Perhaps we too should be careful what we wish for…

God is a loving, caring God.  He welcomes us, forgives us and restores us.  He is with us day and night – and actually he does know what is ultimately best.

Could we wish for anything more?

Lord,

there are times when I assume the grass is greener on the other side,

when I’m sure everyone else is having more fun,

a better life,

an easier way to live;

and I wonder,

would I be better with someone else as King of my life?

But you Lord are the one.

You made the world,

you understand it;

you know me better than I know myself,

and know what will work for me;

you love me,

care for me,

watch over me,

guide me,

forgive me,

and accept me as your own

– why would I want anyone else?

Posted in God, Lectionary, love, Religion
Tags: , , ,

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »