This autumn, we drop into various stories of the Bible sequentially, starting at the beginning — following along with our young people in Church School. Through October 20th, we look at the promises God makes with humanity and how those promises get broken. We look at our relationship with God and how we honor and keep it.
David is a larger-than-life, charismatic, heroic figure in the story of the Israelites. He starts out as a humble shepherd boy, the baby of his family, who finds a place as a skillful lyre-player in King Saul’s court. He famously defeats the gigantic enemy Goliath, using only his slingshot. This gets him noticed in the royal household, becoming exalted and entwined in the dysfunctional family drama of the king. He forms an intense bond with the king’s son Jonathan and marries Michal, one of his daughters. David becomes a great military leader, and then king, and ultimately unites the kingdoms of Judah and Israel and brings the people into a permanent home in Jerusalem.
On Sunday, we’re going to drop into this moment in the story (2 Samuel 7:1-17), when David realizes that he’s now living in a big, urban palace, while the Ark of the Covenant, the container for the Ten Commandments and a central piece of Israelite identity, is still in a tent like the people had for all their days of wandering. Understandably, he wants to build a beautiful temple for the Ark. But his chief advisor, the prophet Nathan, speaks for God, saying that it’s not David’s work to do. His son will do it instead, years later.
Have you ever wanted to see something happen but realized that you weren’t the one to do the job? Have you ever had to pass on your work for someone else to finish?
On Sunday, we’ll enter into this story and explore what it has to say to each one of us personally AND ALSO what it has to say to our United Parish community at this time. How do we keep alive the movement and mission of God? Of our faith? What legacy have we inherited? What legacy are we leaving to others?
I look forward to continuing the conversation with you on Sunday!
In faith,
Kent
Image from PatrickOben.com
