Today's
Scripture Reading (February 7, 2016): 1 Samuel 23
Albert Einstein is quoted as saying
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The
important thing is not to stop questioning.” Einstein's position is
almost the opposite of what most of us might actually put into
practice in our lives. As I look around me, more often than not I see
people who live their lives like they are trying to forget yesterday,
endure today, and see tomorrow as simply a problem that has not yet
arrived. And, on top of all of this, too often we act as if we know –
everything. Our lives shout out “don't try to give me any advice. I
have got this covered. What makes you think that you know more about
this than I do.” I remember as a kid driving in a car with my
friend and his mother when the car began to make some strange noises.
My friend, a car guy, immediately started to try to diagnose the
situation. And then I made the mistake of trying to throw in my
suggestion at the possible cause of the problem. My friend
immediately discounted my suggestion with a quick “what would you
know?” And he was right. I was never much of a mechanical prodigy.
But I had recently been traveling in another vehicle which had
developed similar symptoms and my suggestion (which was actually my
father's diagnosis, after all, he was the owner of the car) turned
out to be the right answer. I stammered out the defense of my
suggestions before my friend sheepishly had to admit that my Dad knew
more about cars than anyone else currently riding in his mom's
vehicle.
Jonathan would seem to agree with
Einstein, or at least his response to David seems to hit all of
Einstein's talking points. But Jonathan simply wants to make sure
that David is encouraged, in spite of the bleak situation that David
was currently enduring as he continued to run from Jonathan's father,
Saul. So the first thing that Jonathan tells David is that Saul was
not going to lay a hand on him. Basically, it is assurance in the
present in that David would not be found by Saul. David could live
for today because Jonathan believed that his dad was not even close
to learning where David was hiding.
Secondly, Jonathan assures David
that he will king over Israel matching with Einstein's hope for the
future. The reality is that we all need hope in order to live. While
many of us are pessimistic about tomorrow, hope for tomorrow is a
requirement for life. If David gave up on hope, then he would die,
but not because of Saul. David's death would join the vast list of
those who have died for no other reason than they couldn't figure out
what there was in tomorrow that was worth the price of paying by
living through today.
Next, Jonathan assures David that
when he becomes king, Jonathan would be standing at his side. This is
an amazing statement because at this moment, Jonathan is the heir
apparent to the throne. Jonathan is making a promise to David that
when the time comes, he is willing to lay down his crown to support
David. And David could trust that this is true because of the
historic friendship that the pair had shared. He could be sure of
what Jonathan would do in the future because he knew what Jonathan
had done in the past.
But maybe what is the most amazing
is that Jonathan seemed to have no trouble finding David even when
his dad could not. Maybe, and this is just a guess, that was because
Jonathan not only continued to ask questions, but because he knew
which questions needed to be asked. The result is that Jonathan could
offer hope and encouragement to David exactly when he needed it.
Tomorrow's
Scripture Reading: Psalm 54
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