David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God. – 1 Samuel 30:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 31, 2012): 1 Samuel 30

There is a story told of a wise king in ancient times. This king was faced with a plague in his nation. The plague was just beginning, and so the King decided to quarantine the area affected. He sent his own army into the city and destroyed the bridges. Then he positioned officers at all of the routes out of the city with orders to shoot anyone who tried to escape. It was a hard decision, but a necessary one because a kingdom was held in the balance. But in an age when the plague seemed to ride swiftly through whole continents, this plaque was restricted to a single city in a single kingdom. The king was honored by the nations for his quick thinking and rapid response time.

Eventually the plague ran its course in the city. And the wise king sent in workers to rebuild the bridges and take care of the damage that had been caused during the quarantine. Everything was repaired and rebuilt better than it was before the plague hit. The king himself came to the city to open the final bridge and honor the inhabitants who had paid such a high price for the salvation of a nation and a continent. But the tale is a tragedy, because the city took this moment to exact their revenge. As the king moved onto the bridge, rebels closed in on both sides. A short battle ensued, after which the king was taken prisoner and eventually hung for what the city saw as his crimes.

History is filled with similar stories about kings and leaders who have made the right decisions only to pay for the decision with, at the least, their careers, but often with their very lives. Being right has never been protection against bad things happening. And sometimes right is not the popular choice. And that is why being right often requires a strength of character.

David had made the right moves. He was the chosen and the anointed of God; a man of God chasing down a God sized dream. And yet, even though he was on the side of right, he had to suffer through some reversals. And like the city of the mythical king, his own men wanted to kill him.

But David found his strength in God. And the courage to continue down a path that was right.

Tonight ends another year. I hope we had the courage to be right this year, and pray for an increased to courage to continue to chase down the God sized dream in front of us in the year that is to come.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 31

So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until now, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don’t approve of you. – 1 Samuel 29:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 30, 2012): 1 Samuel 29

At a memorial service for the tragedies that occurred on September 11, 2001, a pastor stood uneasily on a stage. He had been asked to come and pray for the victims and the nation. It was a task that he desperately wanted to undertake. But he had a problem. He understood that his allegiance could not be divided. And in a day when patriotism in the United States was at a peak, it was common to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States. But this pastor felt that his allegiance was not to a flag – it was to God – and therefore he could not take the pledge of allegiance. His refusal to take the pledge in no way impacted how loyal he was to his nation. It was not an indication of his willingness to betray his country. It was all about his absolute dependence and loyalty to his God. Whether or not those that watched understood, this was the way that it had to be.

People are always a little uncomfortable with people of strong convictions because they are not easily swayed. David was living in Philistine territory, but he remained a believer in the God of Israel. And even though he had been loyal to the Philistine people as long as he lived within their borders, ultimately David was not theirs – and his allegiance could never be. And so David was rejected. He may have been a help to them, but in the opinion of the Philistine rulers, he just could not be trusted.

However, the reality was more likely to be the reverse. There is a strong loyalty that is born out of an allegiance to God. And when we honestly recognize where our allegiance really lies, our loyalty is increased. The result is that we can be depended on – because we know that our lives are being lived out not just for a impersonal flag or nation – but rather for a supernatural audience of one.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 30

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land. – 1 Samuel 28:3

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 29, 2012): 1 Samuel 28

We all flip flop. We may get angry during political campaigns at politicians that flip flop, but it is actually something that is a common activity of our race. I sometimes find some our arguments humorous. Why do we bother talking about whether or not a fifty year old politician was involved with drugs in college? The fallacy is that we seem to expect that a person, at two very different stages in their lives, to be essentially the same person. But that is not true. We are changed by two strong forces in our lives – our experiences and our needs. This is the reason why, even though all of the evidence points to the fact that we need to start to save for our retirement while we are still in our twenties, that often we do not start to earnestly save for 

retirement until mid career – our experiences and, in this case especially our needs, have shaped our actions.

Saul had driven out all of the spiritists and mediums out of Israel. He did so because, at least on some level, he valued Samuel and wanted to follow Samuel’s God. And he had no need for the spiritists. But now Samuel was dead. Saul probably never realized how much he needed Samuel until after Samuel’s influence had been removed from the nation. And now that Samuel was gone and his influence had vanished, Saul found himself in a place that he had probably never prepared himself for (experience.) With Saul gone, his need had also changed. And that was about to lead him into a very bad and strange decision. He was about to go out to find a spiritist so that he could raise the spirit of Samuel up to talk with him.

The real question that we have to answer about ourselves is this – how have my experiences prepared me for the needs that I am about to face. If we have been proactive in life, we will have looked ahead and have prepared for the life that is still ahead (rather than living in the past and preparing for the needs of the past.) It was something Saul had never done. When our future surprises us, we set ourselves up for a flip-flop.

I think the loss of Samuel was bigger than anyone expected. It was definitely bigger than Saul expected. In life, he seemed too often to turn a deaf ear to the wishes of Samuel. But now he finds that he stands in need of the prophet. And ready to commit one of the biggest flip flops of his life.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 29

Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”– 1 Samuel 27:5

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 28, 2012): 1 Samuel 27

I am football fan; at least of the American or Canadian variety of football. And one of the teams I like to watch are the Seattle Seahawks. Growing up, they were simply the team that I was able to watch the most. So I learned to cheer for the team that I was the most familiar with. Over the years I have laughed and cried with the Seahawks. This year it has been a bit of both (lately it has been more on the laughing side.) But as a Seahawks fan, one thing I know is that the Seahawks love to play at home. Now, all teams like to play at home, but for the Seahawks the advantage is that home is the loudest place to play football in the NFL – and that makes a big difference. As a result, at least this year, the Seattle Seahawks are a hard team to beat at home.

And that is exactly what every sports team wants to be. To be able to say “not in our house” to visiting teams is the desire of every sports organization. Home field/court/ice advantage is supposed to mean something. It is a place that the team knows and feels comfortable with – a place where the fans react positively when they see their team enter the playing surface. A place where the team can say – It is good to be home.

David was now in exile. He had no home court to move to. And his fear was that that meant that there was no place that was not trying to influence him. He would always be in the heat of the battle – whether they were on the battlefield or in the political arena in their new home in the middle of the Philistine nation. So David had a request. Give me a place where can live – a place to call home. Behind the simple request is a place where David can protect his army from the vices of the Philistines and away from the jealousies and frictions that may have erupted between David’s men and the local military personal. In essence, it was a place where they could simply be – and be welcome. And there was also a desire to be away from a place where the army might unintentionally cause offence to the people. If that were to happen, they might lose their safe place of refuge. David needed a home.

We all do. Home is important. It is a safe place where we can go and simply be. I hope you have found that place in your life.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 28

But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless? – 1 Samuel 26:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 27, 2012): 1 Samuel 26

I am concerned about the way we treat our politicians. Somehow we seem to believe that we have the right to tear them apart. Sometimes I think that we really believe that we have all the answers – and that a politician never has the right to make a mistake. But we do not live in that reality. None of us are perfect – and yet, even in the midst of our imperfection that God has a plan for us. And what happens if we accept the biblical assertion that God is in control of our world – even our political world. How would that change the way that we treat our own political leaders.

David was sure that Saul was the anointed of God. That means that David believed that Saul was on the throne – and remained on the throne – only because God had a purpose for him on that throne. So as long as he was the king of Israel, David would not lift a hand against him – in spite of the fact that Saul was doing anything that he could do to try to kill David. David would run and try to defend himself, but he would not attack Saul, the anointed of God, because that would mean declaring war on God himself.

If God really is in control, is it possible that he also has a reason for the people that have been placed in power over top of us. I know the danger of this position is to develop a sense of apathy toward the election of our political officials. But the real truth might be that God can work his will through whatever leaders that we might elect. I believe it is very important for us to do our own due diligence and be active in the election process of our public officials, but our responsibility does not end there. After they are elected – or their opponent is – we are called to continue to hold them up by praying for them and supporting them as best we can.

The only political leader that is perfect is one that refuses to do anything. And that is never the kind of leaders that we need. We need leaders that are willing to make the hard decisions no matter what the consequences are. It is the lesson that David teaches us as he deals with Saul. As a New Year approaches, maybe it is time that the church stepped up and supported those in office – no matter whether or not they are the one that we would have voted for.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 27

Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. – 1 Samuel 25:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 26, 2012): 1 Samuel 25

A few years ago I suffered through a time when there were rumors flying around me that were simply not true. It is one of the most hopeless experiences we can feel in this life. At first you want to just ignore them. But eventually you reach the point where you have to step up and answer the charges. And as much as we live in a culture where we consider the responsibility to be on the side that is making the charge (we are innocent until proven guilty), in the rumor arena it is the reverse that is true. Something deep inside of us seems to expect the worst to be true – and that the rumor mongers somehow know what it is that they are talking about.

There might not be a more helpless feeling. After all, what you are being accused of, you did not actually do. If you committed the wrong, you can apologize and make changes in your behavior to make sure that it does not happen again. But what do you do when you have not committed the wrong.

Nabal’s comment about David tells us two things. The first is that at this time Israel remained as a loose association of tribes. One of the key ideas in the book of Judges is that “at that time, Israel had no king and each man did as he saw fit” and it appears that not much had changed in that respect under the reign of Saul. But more importantly, Nabal does not seem to be in possession of all of the facts. In spite of everything that David had done, he was being accused of being an oath breaker with Saul. But that was something of which David was innocent. Considering the way that Saul had been treating David, David was going to extraordinary measures to try and honor his master.

In the aftermath of Christmas, Mary and Joseph would have been subjected to rumors concerning their behavior. It was probably a very hurtful time in Mary and Joseph’s life. But God was about to prove that rumors would never stop him from working in our life situations. That was true for David, Mary and Joseph – and for us.     

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 26

“You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. – 1 Samuel 24:17

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 25, 2012): 1 Samuel 24

Once again, it is Christmas Day - the day that God left his throne and stepped down into our world. It is the day that, if we are honest with ourselves, just does not make sense. Why would God come here? And why would he enter into our space and time with such – well, gentleness. The Messiah had long been expected, but the idea was that he would come as the head of the angel armies. On the day that the Messiah entered into our world, the whole world was supposed to stand up and take notice. But that is not what happened. Instead, the night of his entrance was witnessed only by a carpenter and his wife and a few shepherds – even the traditional wise men did not show up until later. When what we deserved was an army from heaven – heaven sent a child in a manger.

Saul had fallen under the judgement of God. He had failed God, his nation and himself. But one of the wonders of the story is that God did not come with the angel army, he sent David who would gently give Saul every chance to make things right. But Saul never took advantage of the chance that he was given. Oh, he would briefly stop what he was doing and recognize the chance – but the moment always quickly passed.   

Our response to the God of the manger should be the same as Saul’s. God, you are more righteous than I – You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. You have honored me, but I have not honored you. 

And, maybe, the legacy of this Christmas is that, like Saul, we are being given a chance to change all of that - not just for the moment, but for all of the Christmas’s (and all the days in between our Christmas’s) that we have left to us.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 25

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. – Psalm 63:7

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 24, 2012): Psalm 63

Tonight is the night for angels. This is the night that we celebrate the angels breaking the silence in a small village named Bethlehem. It was on this night in 1865 that Pastor Phillips Brooks was half a world away from his congregation in Philadelphia. He was tired, burned out and discouraged. The American Civil war had taken its toll on him. He opposed slavery, but the idea of American’s killing American’s was an idea that Brooks could not understand. And then in April 1965, President Abraham Lincoln opposition to slavery and support for the black vote resulted in his assassination. Phillips Brooks was eloquent as he spoke at Lincoln’s funeral, but it was the last straw. Brooks was done. And by the end of the year, Brooks was in Palestine. He expressed a desire on Christmas Eve to ride up to Bethlehem - despite warnings that thieves made that ride dangerous. But Brooks ignored the warnings and arrived in Bethlehem as the sun was setting. It was Christmas Eve. The town lay silent and still. And Brooks remembered the events that had taken place in these Palestinian hills 1800 years earlier. It would be this memory that three years later would turn into the Christmas Carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and the line “While mortals sleep, the angels keep, Their watch of wondering love.”

Angels are such prevalent characters in the Christmas drama. And yet, this year I wanted to play with that image. So I asked a question - Did angels really sing? The Luke text strongly suggests that the answer to that question is no. The angels spoke the good news. Oh, it is quite possible that there was excessive dancing that accompanied the announcement, but no singing. At least, there was no singing on the part of the angels.

It could even be argued that angels simply do not sing – or, if they do sing, it is because they are joining in on a song that we are singing. It is not a hill that I am willing to die on, but I do find it an interesting proposition. What if the song is our private language with God? What if that is the reason why music seems to be the universal language, and why we get so attached to the idea of the song – and why singing has always been part of what the community of God has participated in. It is a language that only we can speak – and angels can only try to imitate the way that we communicate with God.

David says he sings in the shadow of God’s wings. His singing was the automatic reaction of a man who realized that God was his help. His song was his cry in a language that was reserved for communication between him and his God. On that hill in Bethlehem a little more than 2000 years ago I think that there was singing – but it was not done by a choir of angels, but rather by a group of shepherds, communicating with their God under his wings (and the wings of his angels.)

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 24

Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might. – Psalm 54:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 23, 2012): Psalm 54

George and Ira Gershwin have written a lot of songs that continually have been included in the soundtracks of our lives, but one of them is a haunting ballad (that was actually originally written as a jazz tune) called “Someone to Watch Over Me.” I remember the first time I heard the song. Amazingly enough it was not in a revival of “Oh Kay” – the musical the song was originally written for. It was in an episode of “WKRP in Cincinnati.” The episode was “Baby it’s Cold Inside” and Mama Carlson had just blackmailed Dr. Johnny Fever to play the song on the radio. And then the haunting melody began. “I'm a little lamb who's lost in a wood, I know I could always be good, To one who'll watch over me.” But the song is more than just a haunting, pretty tune. It speaks to a need that I think we all have - the need for someone to simply just be with us.

It is amazing what the presence of someone can do for us. Sometimes that is all we really need. We do not need a solution or a miraculous answer to our problem – we just need to know that someone will stand with us. Unfortunately, one of our reactions to stress is to push people away, so that when we need people the most, they are no longer there. There might not be a greater ministry than just the persistent pursuit of people that need our presence.

David needed help. It seemed that his enemies were everywhere, and when his enemies were absent, it seemed that those that were there were willing to sell him out to his enemies. And David needed someone to just come and stand with him. In fact, that was David’s persistent need – he needed someone to watch over him.

Christmas is the story of a God who decided to give us his presence. He came to be with us. And his presence is what we really need. There will always be times of stress in our lives – and I hope that as we move through life we will realize how important those times of trouble have been in shaping who we are. But I hope that we also realize that there is a presence that is with us through all the situations of life – and that we really do have a Someone who is watching over us.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 63

Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will.” – 1 Samuel 23:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 22, 2012): 1 Samuel 23

I recently watched the movie “The Road.” The movie is a post-apocalyptic vision of the future and the story of a man and his son. Together the two face the realities of life in a world that neither of them are prepared to live in. It was just the two of them against the world in a place where everything was dangerous and death seemed to lie around every corner. Early in the movie the boy asks his father a question – Are we still the good guys? And after his father assures him that they are the son has a follow-up question. Will we always be the good guys?

What is it that makes us good? Maybe our reality is summed up in the words of Jesus to the rich young man - “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone” (Mark 10:18). No one is good, and yet that is what we all try to achieve. And, I think, that each one of us believes that we are the good ones. Even when we do something wrong, there are always reasons for our actions – and we are still the good guys, we always will be.

David goes to Keilah with only one purpose in mind. He will deliver the city out of the hands of the Philistines. It was something that the people of Keilah needed but could not do for themselves. They needed a savior – someone like David. And so he came and fought their battle. And now they were preparing to turn their savior over to Saul to be killed. They would betray the one that had come to them. They were still good people – but good people forced to do evil things

Betrayal is a big part of our Christmas saga. In the Christmas story, the Savior comes to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. He comes to rescue only to be betrayed by good people that felt that they had no other choice. But then again, there is no one that is good; that was why he had to come in the first place. The only thing that is good about Christmas is Christ – we have come to celebrate him.    

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 54

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. – Psalm 52:8

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 21, 2012): Psalm 52

Where is the peace? In a world where elementary children are gunned down, it seems to be a question that is begging to be asked. And I cannot say that I know the answer, because that just is not true. Peace seems to be totally absent in this time that we often think of as a celebration of peace. Our culture has furnished us with a number of stories about how peace came at Christmas – if only for a moment. It might be that one of the most overused phrases is the one that most aptly describes this time peace. The phrase is simply the assertion that we need to see the world through the eyes of faith. And although the phrase may be overused, it also might be true.

David is struggling with his place in his world. His desire is to support Saul until the days when his own reign would start, but Saul had never agreed to the plan. But David’s struggles may have gone deeper than just his rejection by the king. Saul had been a significant figure David’s life – in fact, he had been a father figure for the young boy. Saul had trusted him to take care of the giant Goliath, David had lived in the palace – playing music for Saul – and he had built a friendship with Saul’s son. The two young boys, David and Jonathan, had become as close as brothers. The result of all of this is that Saul’s anger would have severely affected 

David’s picture of himself. His self worth would have suffered. Even his own evaluation of his strengths would have been effected. If it was only just the king that was angry, but it was not the king – it was Saul.

And so, with his self image lagging, David begins to describe himself in his writings. He writes that he is like an olive tree in the sanctuary of God. The imagery that he uses is of Nob, a place that he had recently visited. Nob was a city of priests and the resting place of the Tabernacle after Saul had moved it there. Nob was also built in an olive grove. But now that Saul had killed all of the priests (1 Samuel 21 & 22) all that was left in Nob were the Olive trees. And David identifies with those trees. No matter what the destruction was that surrounded him – in faith he sees himself as one of the olive trees. David still stands – and David knows in the midst of his disaster that his God still stands with him.

I hope that you can experience a Christmas peace during the next few days. My prayer is that somehow, for a little while, you can find yourself in that bubble that we all need to find periodically. But if that is impossible, maybe remember David and the olive tree – and know that God is still standing with you – even when disaster seems to be reigning all around you.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 23

But the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth. – 1 Samuel 22:5

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 20, 2012): 1 Samuel 22:3-23

Christmas songs can be depressing. I think that this is at least partly because we have such great expectations for Christmas. As children, we remember the anticipation of Christmas, we remember family gatherings and games and all of the intangibles that make Christmas – well, Christmas. But as we grow older, some of those intangibles begin to fade. Sometimes health problems interfere with the celebration, and often the important people just are not able to be with us on Christmas Day – and we almost start to feel guilty about having the celebration without them.

Our music reflects that sense of melancholy. I’ll have a blue Christmas (but the next words speak of loss), without you. Or the Christmas Classic – I’ll be home for Christmas, You can count on me, Please have snow and mistletoe and presents on the tree – but the last line of the song once again speak of the unavoidable separation of Christmas – I’ll be home for Christmas, If only in my dreams. Christmas, ultimately, is all about home. And when you cannot be home – well that can be depressing.

David had been told that he would be king. But the current king (Saul) was still alive. And as you read through the story, you begin to see that David only wants to serve Saul. He knew his time would come, but he also felt that there was no rush. Everything would come to pass in God’s time, and for David, that was just the way that he wanted it. But Saul did not see it that way. It was not enough for Saul that he was king, when he died his dream was that one of his sons would sit on the throne of Israel. And Saul was willing to fight to see his dream come true.

The conflict that was brewing was one that God could see coming. And so he sent a message to David. It was time for him to go home (Judah). In the coming days it was only in Judah that David would be able to find the support that he needed and only in Judah that David would be able to find a measure of security. David needed to be home.

Home is where we are loved and secure and we all need some time just to be home just like David did. My prayer for you is that you are able to be home this Christmas. And, if you are not able to be home, I know that home will be thinking (and dreaming) of you.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 52

Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. – Psalm 142:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 19, 2012): Psalm 142

I have friends that seem to be going through life alone. For some, it might have been their own fault. They have made a habit of simply pushing people away all their life, and now they are being given what they seemed to have desired all along – they are alone. For others it has been the circumstances of their lives, they have become ill or death has visited all around them – but the result is the same – they are still alone.

Part of the privilege of being in my position is that I sometimes get to stand beside people in the situations of life because there is no one else. And I have to admit that I have often wished that I could have been a better companion or advocate for them. But I have had the opportunity to stand beside them. The reality of living this life is that there are several times when all of us need someone to simply stand with us. And maybe one of the tragedies of life is that often the person that we have standing beside us are the ones that we have paid to be there (in the form of lawyers and doctors.) And they are not enough. We all need someone else just to stand with us.

David is still in the cave. He is still running from the animals – both the four legged ones and the two legged ones carrying weapons. He is at one of those moments in life, and he sees all of the people that are around him, depending on him (we need to understand that David is not likely to be alone here), but when he looks to the right of him – the place where the advocate or the defender would stand – that position was vacant. And he longed for the one that could stand in that place.

And I know that God is there – I believe that with every fibre of my being. But I also know that sometimes it is nice to have a flesh and blood person to stand up and defend us and be our advocate. That is what I believe that the church is intended to be – I know that there is a seed inside of the church to help it become precisely that, but I also know that sometimes we do not let that seed grow until it can produce for us its fruit. This is the very real challenge of the community; to stand beside, to defend and be the advocate for (the one who argues on behalf of) each other. My hope and my prayer is that we all have someone that stand on our right side – and that we all are taking that position on the right side of someone else.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 22:3-23

I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts—men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. – Psalm 57:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 18, 2012): 1 Samuel 22:1-2 & Psalm 57

As I write this, we are at the one week mark before Christmas. Christmas carols have been in playing in the stores for a few weeks now. I have heard all about the Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas argument. (And if you wonder where I am on that argument, I really don’t care. Yesterday as I was leaving my office someone driving by yelled Happy Hanukkah. I really think that they saw me coming out of a Christian Church and wanted to insult me – but that is not what they did. And, if they were sincere, then I feel deeply honored. I really want people of the Jewish faith to wish me Happy Hanukkah. I do not care what you call the season – just please do not ignore it.)

David has run to a cave. He has been forced away from his comforts and into a place where he does not want to be. His enemies are gathering. I love the way that David describes his enemies. This passage is filled with mixed metaphors. He is describing animals, which may have actually been threatening him as he hid in the cave, but his real concern was more about the animals that prowled on two legs outside the cave. It was these animals that had teeth that were spears and arrows ... and that is a great metaphor. But then David says something that almost makes you shake your head. He says that these animals have a tongue like a sword. I have to admit that I would never have thought of describing a tongue like a sword. But I think what David might have been getting at was that his enemies were speaking comforting words, but those words were only intended to bring David away from his hiding place and into a place where their swords could kill him.

Generations later (twenty-eight if we accept Matthew`s number) a descendant of David would be born in a different cave. He would be laid in a manger and surrounded by animals, but like David it would be the two legged ones that would bother him. And before he would celebrate his second birthday, he would know the danger of these animals whose teeth were like spears and arrows. He would also be the subject of conversation in the house of a king whose tongue was like a sword – who wanted nothing more than to have some eastern astrologers to come and tell him where the king was laid so that he could come and worship him (worship would have contained a sword.)

For both David and Jesus, that cave was a place of danger. But both had a purpose that came from beyond themselves. And for me, this is Christmas. It is all about a king, who was born into a cave and surrounded by animals with teeth that were like spears and arrows and a tongue like a sword. It is him that I am hoping that my words bring honor. It is him we need to remember!

      

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 142

In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? – Psalm 56:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 17, 2012): Psalm 56

One of the biggest decisions that we all have to make is to decide what it is that is really important to us. But the unfortunate truth is that most of us never make that decision. What is important simply evolves out of the activity of our life. But that is a dangerous way to decide what is important because it leaves the decision either to chance or to the people around us.

Often the realization of what is important emerges out of times of extreme emotion. It is the Scrooge Syndrome, after a visit from a dead friend and three ghosts we finally filter out the unimportant things and find what is really important.  But sometimes the Scrooge syndrome can also work in reverse. After living through the poverty of the Great Depression, many people seemed to have a struggle with leaving the importance of material possessions behind. It was an event that seemed to create many Scrooge type characters with a sad dependence on the things of this life.

David is struggling with what is important. When he was young, the answer to the question seemed easy. It was the sheep. And he had an almost natural and definitely naïve dependence on God. But recently the voices had multiplied. Now he had a kingdom that might be laying on the horizon that was important to him. He had friends and colleagues that had gathered around him that were very important. David’s own life, now threatened, was also important. But in the midst of all of the trials, David begins to realize that whatever happens to him, what is important had never changed from his naïve childhood. It was still God. And as long as God was what was important, then there was nothing that man could do to change that. What God had set in motion, no man could change or endanger.

Centuries later Paul would concur with David as he wrote “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) But the answer to both David’s and Paul’s question hinges on what it is that we have decided is important. If we are going to place our trust in the things of this world, than the world itself will be a danger to us. But if our trust is in God, then man will not be able to stand in our way.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 22:1-2 & Psalm 57

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. – Psalm 34:8

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 16, 2012): Psalm 34

I love crime shows – and I have watched crime investigation shows from the days of watching Quincy, M. E. in the late seventies and early eighties through to currently watching the CSI’s and the NCIS’s. But, even though I do like to watch them, I like them from a distance (as in on my television.) The problem is that I also know the reality that these occupations have to deal with – and that reality is often not very pleasant. As graphic as the shows try to be, reality is much worse – and I know that.

As a teen I worked for a short time with a veterinarian. At the time we lived in a small ranching community and so I had the opportunity to go out with the vet when he was called out to the different ranches around the town. And some of the things that I had to deal with rivaled some of things that I am sure crime investigators have to deal with. And sometimes, with the really bad ones, the places smelled so much that I felt like I could taste it. Okay, I know that that is really not possible, but I still felt that way.

It works the other way too. I have passed restaurants and the smell that was coming from the kitchen was so good that I felt once again that I could taste it. It is a strange phenomenon – but a very real one.

David is on the run. He is hiding with priests and he is pretending that he is insane. His reality is that he no longer knows who to trust. And his only refuge is in God. But he does not need a God that is seen far off, or one that we might see on our television screens. The God that he needs is the one that is so close that he can taste him.

There are many things that we can know. We can see and hear even at a distance, but tasting is different. Tasting requires a closeness and an intimacy – tasting can never be done from a distance. One of the phrases that we sometimes like to use to describe God is that “he is closer than our next breath.” That is a God that we can taste.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 56

David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?” – 1 Samuel 21:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 15, 2012): 1 Samuel 21

There are some activities in life that we just do not want witnesses for. Some of them are not bad activities, but the bad ones we definitely do not want people around to see. But sometimes privacy in life is just needed. I admit that I am a bit of a loner, and I actually need time alone to recharge – but I also recognize that not everyone works that way. And some people, simply because of their position, are very seldom alone.

David would have been one of the ones that was seldom alone. As he grew in power, he left behind him the days when he could just go out on a hill with the sheep by himself. Now he would have attendants and servants and body guards around him all of the time. And so when he shows up in Nob alone, Ahimelech the priest questioned whether this solitary future king might be bringing evil with him. After all, why would David show up alone unless it was because his intended actions would not bear witnesses?

But David had never feared being alone – he had spent a lot of time alone in his youth. In fact, there were times when he realized that he needed to be that lonely shepherd on the hill. And this was one of them. David needed a place of refuge. Samuel the prophet had already failed to protect him, and so had Jonathan the prince. So now it was up to the priest city of Nob. But David refused to commit his friends to a refuge that he was not sure of – and so he went to Nob alone.

There are times and there are places where we need to be alone – we need to check out the lay of the land and make sure that everything is okay. But then, once we find that place of refuge, we need to invite those that are close to us to come with us and take advantage of that safety. David would not spend the rest of his life in Nob, but for this moment both he and those that were close to him needed the break. And when you need that place to rest, my prayer is that you will know exactly where it is that you need to go, and that you will have the courage to bring those that you love with you.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 34

Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? – 1 Samuel 20:30

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 14, 2012): 1 Samuel 20

I think one of the most primal urges is the protection of your family. We may fight and say bad things about each other inside of the family unit, but no one else has the right to say anything negative. And often when things go badly wrong in a relationship, it is because someone crossed that line and said some things that should have been left unsaid. We want to be proud of each other, but more than that, we want (and need) our families to be proud of us. One of the worst punishments that we can suffer under is simply the thought that we have done something to dishonor our families. Parents, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters are all incredibly important to us, and it is supposed to be that way.

As Saul’s anger with his son is expressed with a comment – You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! While the comment sounds like an attack on Jonathan’s mother, it is really an old Oriental curse. The intention behind the words is that Jonathan’s actions have caused dishonor to be brought on his mother. The reputation of the mom has been brought into question by the actions of the child. And that is a hurtful accusation in any culture.

My sincere hope is that the ones that I am closest to – both family members and friends – know how proud I am of them. But more than that, I hope that my actions never cause their reputations to suffer – and when my actions fall short, that they will forgive me. We are family – and we need each other, and need to be able to be proud of each other.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 21

They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city. – Psalm 59:6, 14

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 13, 2012): Psalm 59

We repeat the things that are important to us. You probably notice that whenever someone is talking to you. If you do not pick up on what the person you are speaking with thinks is important for you to know, you will be doomed to receive the same repeated messages until you do. But our reality is that we do not all share the same sense of what is important, so often we – or at least I – miss what is important to others. So, when I am involved in a counselling session and I am wondering what is important to the person that is sitting across from me, the easiest way for me to figure that out is to listen to what the person is repeating as they talk to me.

So as I read Psalm 59, I notice something; there is a repetition. The sixth verse and the fourteenth are not just similar, they are identical. David thought that what he was writing in these verses was important – at least it was to him. And the reason that it was important to him was because he was writing about what was happening to him in his every day life. We find the full story in 1 Samuel 19, but in verse 11 we read this - Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” As David writes about it later, he talks about them coming at the evening hour and watching his house. His enemy snarls like dogs; David is not underestimating how dangerous his enemy is, but he is not there. He has been warned away and the result of the warning is that the dogs have to prowl around the city to try and find him.

Psalm 59 is a Psalm full of emotion, as many of the Psalms are, because the threat is very real. We know the end of the story, but at the time that David wrote the Psalm, he did not. He was not sure that he would ever be king, it was just a faith in God that caused him to put one foot in front of the other as he pursued the goal that had been placed in front of him. And everywhere he went, the dogs still prowled trying to find him and kill him.  David was totally dependent on God for every safe moment and the realization of the future.

And that I can understand, because I know all about the presence of the dogs that are searching for me – and the reality of the faith that causes me (and hopefully you) to move confidently into the future.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 20

He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”– 1 Samuel 19:24

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 12, 2012): 1 Samuel 19

It happened in my Social Studies class in Grade Seven. I was sitting in the back of the classroom minding my own business when a girl (one of the cool kids) decided to get into a fight with my teacher (Mr. Kidd). Finally Mr. Kidd dropped his ultimate weapon and the girl was sentenced to spend some extra time in class with the teacher. I still remember his words – when the class is over, go and take Garry’s seat. I also remember the girls response – Who? I am not sure it helped that Mr. Kidd chose that moment to declare his appreciation for me. But that moment was a blow to my ego. In spite of the fact that I had narrowly lost an election for the grade seven rep seat on the Student Council, there were still people in my class that had no idea who I was.

It is one of the biggest fears that every one of us lives with every day – the chance that someone will realize who it is that we really are or the reality that we have not truly made a difference. The fear probably started sometime during our Junior High years. It was that moment in time that everyone wants to be accepted and to be known, and yet every one of us can come up with several reasons why we might be rejected. It is too bad that we did not understand the insecurity that we were all feeling during those years.

Saul actually got to live the nightmare. The text says that he lay down naked – he was totally revealed - but it was more than just nudity that is the point of the statement. He was divested of everything that symbolized him as king. His royalty, for a short time, was removed, his armor was laid aside – and that all by itself was a prophecy of the way that Saul’s life would end. His kingdom had already been removed and Saul literally no longer had command of his own senses.

Day and night, God essentially imprisoned Saul. God kept him in chains so that David could escape from within his reach and that is evidence of God’s providential care for David. Essentially God made Saul into a prophet – his prophet - so that he could make David into a King.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 59

Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul. – 1 Samuel 18:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 11, 2012): 1 Samuel 18

Sometimes I wonder how much of our actions are really based on fear. How much of what I do or of how I react is for no other reason than because I am afraid. One of the concerns that I have is about our unwillingness to talk about some of the issues. We create hot topics around us, things like homosexuality, abortion, and even theories of creation have become some of the last outposts of the faith. And because they are the last outposts, they are the place where we build our biggest defenses. But deep down those defenses are really built on fear. We are afraid to open up discussions on the issues and really listen to people – because our faith is all about our defenses - and we are afraid that if our defenses fall, our faith will fall with it.

As the story of Saul starts to move toward a conclusion, Saul begins to be motivated by fear. At one point in his life he had believed that he was self sufficient and needed no one to help him reach his destiny. But now he saw David rising and he was experiencing fear and the realization of how inadequate that he really was.

Saul was afraid of David. He saw David standing where he remembered that he had once stood. David had the support from God that Saul had once experienced, but had never valued. And now, what was not valued had slipped away. And Saul’s fear was that because David had the favor of God that that might cause David to have the favor of the people. In fact, that is exactly what he saw happening around him – even within his own family. And as the people left in favor of David, Saul’s kingdom became vulnerable.

Whenever we take for granted the things of God, we begin to lose his favor. And then fear creeps in and begins to cripple us. I believe that there is no discussion that we need to be afraid of – God is fully capable of defending his own territory, and all we need to do is to lift him up and go where he tells us to go. I am not sure what to do with our hot buttons. But I am convinced that we need to start having the discussion, and recognize that God’s only call on our lives in that we would go – and love – not taking his things for granted. God is the answer to all of our fear – he really is.     

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 19

David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” – 1 Samuel 17:26

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 10, 2012): 1 Samuel 17

Sometimes I wish for the simplicity of being a child. When I was a child there were a number of things that I did not have to struggle through. As a child I ‘knew’ that God existed. He had to exist because every trusted person in my life told me that he existed. I ‘knew’ that God had created the earth and that he was intimately involved with all of his creation. There was no question about God’s power or about the existence of heaven – I was not sure that I wanted to go to heaven, the grownups really needed to work on making heaven sound a little more exciting to my young ears, but I did not doubt that it existed. The doubts came later, but at that time I had what experts would now call a reflected faith – I reflected the faith that I had experienced around me.

I think that is where David found himself. He was the little brother; too young to go to war with his brothers, but he reflected the faith that was around him. The result of that faith was that he believed that the God of Israel was bigger than the Philistine giant who was taunting the army of Israel. It was a faith born out of a childlike innocence – a faith that the older brothers and the members of the army had lost somewhere along the way.

But the faith that we hold as adults has grown up. The faith we have as adults is important – it is developed over years of experiences and trials. The faith of the adult is actually stronger than the faith of the child. It has been wrestled with over time and it has transformed into something very special. But there are still times when we need to be able to take God at his word and come to him with the faith of a child, believing that God is still bigger than the evil giants that inhabit our lives – no matter where it is that those giants are found.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 18

Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” – 1 Samuel 16:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 9, 2012): 1 Samuel 16

I never really liked being called into the principal’s office when I was a kid. It was not because I had spent a lot of time there. As much as people who know me might find this hard to believe, I really did not much quality time with the authority figures of the school I attended – and when I did, it was usually a positive occasion. But I was always a bit of a pessimist when it came to the principal’s office. Maybe it was because of the horror stories that I had heard other kids tell. But whenever the call came for me to go to the principal’s office, my heart seemed to start to beat a little harder and my first instinct was always to run in the other direction.

Maybe that is the reason I emotionally understand this verse. The people of Bethlehem did not have a negative track record with Samuel. The problem was that the town of Bethlehem was not exactly at the center of life in Israel. It was a small town, a farming village, and whenever something important happened, it always happened someplace else. And if the people wanted to be witnesses of something important they always went somewhere else. But the one thing that never happened was that the events came to them.

There is also a very real possibility that the elders of Bethlehem knew all about the strained relationship between Samuel and Saul. So as Samuel walks into Bethlehem and the elders can only see two possibilities. The first is that something has happened in Bethlehem and Samuel as the last Judge of Israel was being called in by God to fix the problem - and fixing the problem would mean at the very least a major disruption to life in the town and, at worst, it would mean that all of Israel would be brought against the people of the village.

But the second possibility was equally disturbing. It was possible that Samuel was bringing his conflict with Saul to Bethlehem. And Samuel, as the last of the Judges, would have had a considerable force that would have allied with him. Saul would have the armies of the nation rallying on his behalf, and in between these two forces at the beginning at what could have been a very significant civil war – was Bethlehem. 

   

And the only thing that the elders could think to ask is – do you come in peace? Literally the question is this – is everything okay? The reality that no participant in that conversation knew was that everything was more than okay. And Samuel’s visit was about to inaugurate a phase in Bethlehem’s existence where it would be important and a significant city in the history of the nation. Bethlehem would be important – as the home of king and the birth place of the Messiah.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 17

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. – Psalm 23:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 8, 2012): Psalm 23

I remember the day that I started to make the move from my cartoons to movies and dramas. I am not sure how old I was, but I loved my cartoons. I was an avid watcher of the old Spiderman show – the one that seems to endlessly repeat the same scene over and over again, no matter where Spiderman was going he seemed to have to swing by the same building about five times. And as a kid I noticed that, but it just did not matter to me, because in the midst of the repeated scenes I found a story, and it was a story that I wanted to hear. I loved Scooby-Doo and Shaggy and the gang chasing down the ghosts, which often were not really ghosts, but just someone trying to trick the gang – but at the same time the ghosts were never totally discounted. But what got me was always the same thing – it was the suspense and the danger and the challenge that the story that was being presented that I found attractive.

But one day I was sick and because I was sick I stayed home from school. Wrapped up in blankets and suffering from a fever I was placed in the living room of the house so that I could be closer to mom, and I decided to watch some television. It was early afternoon and there were no cartoons on T.V. (at the time I think we only received three channels) and so I turned on the afternoon movie. I did not hold out much hope for the movie, but on that afternoon I discovered that all of the things that I treasured about my cartoons was also found in movies that were not cartoons – and my world got just a little bigger.

Psalm 23 is one of the earliest (maybe the earliest) of the writings of David. It is written by the shepherd boy and he is trying to describe his relationship with God, and the world that he knows the best is the world of the shepherd. He understands the way that he relates with the sheep, and he imagines that that is the same way that God relates to him. That God leads and protects him the same way that he leads and protects his sheep. But there is an important fact about the way that a shepherd provides for his sheep that I think we sometimes miss. The shepherd does not feed the sheep from his hand; he moves them, always presenting the sheep with a challenge but also with the opportunity to find food.

We are like sheep. And to feed we need to be presented with a challenge. I think we often pray for a life that is without challenge, but we have not been created for that kind of a life – and our shepherd knows that. David seemed to understand something at a young age that we still struggle with – that the prayer that God would give us our daily bread, prayed to the God who is at heart our shepherd - is really praying that God would present us with a challenge out of which we can be fed.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 16

Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. – 1 Samuel 15:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 7, 2012): 1 Samuel 15

Canada is officially a monarchy. That single fact surprises a lot of people. It is also one of the interpretations of the events that led up to the War of 1812. When the American army stepped onto Canadian soil, part of the purpose of the Americans was to help free the Canadian people from the tyranny of the British monarchy – in much the same way that the Americans had already broken their ties with Britain. But, when they arrived, they were surprised to find out that Canadians were not in any hurry to break relations with Britain. And 200 years later, Canada still maintains strong ties with the United Kingdom.

Officially, we share our monarch (Queen Elizabeth II) equally with fifteen other countries. The Queen’s rule on Canadian soil is accomplished through the position of the Governor General. The Governor General acts with all of the power of the monarch in Canadian politics. Although the role has been reduced to a mostly ceremonial purpose in recent years, still by law all government actions are passed through him to be approved by the one who has the authority of the queen. And the Governor General serves at the pleasure of the Queen.

That is the message that Samuel wanted Saul to understand. Saul’s power as the monarch of Israel was not absolute. He was chosen by God to fulfill the position, and anointed by Samuel into the position. Saul served at the pleasure of the God of Israel. And Samuel was his voice on the earth – he was God’s Governor General. So, if God spoke, even if that message was spoken through Samuel, it would benefit Saul to listen.

But Saul did not want to listen. What had become important to Saul – was Saul. Absolutely nothing else mattered - and his family and his kingdom would suffer because of it.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 23

Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.) – 1 Samuel 14:18

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 6, 2012): 1 Samuel 14

One of the questions that people seem to like to ask about the Bible is how can we believe in something that is so full of errors. And the idea behind the question seems to be that there are some very significant errors in the Bible that effect the overall message of the Book. The problem is that that is not really the case. Are there errors? Definitely! But we have found no errors that significantly change God’s message to us. What we believe about Salvation, love, heaven and hell and other key issues are consistent over all of the copies of the biblical books that are still in existence. (And the Bible has more ancient copies of it than any other ancient book in history. In fact, the Bible which was completed about 1900 years ago is better attested to and we have more ancient copies of it then we have of the writings William Shakespeare written 400 years ago. We are surer that the messages we find in the Bible reflect the intentions of the original authors than we are that the message found in Othello carries the message and intention of William Shakespeare.) Most of the errors are small errors in the text – or even perceived errors because we have failed to understand the original culture in which the document was written. But the errors do not change in anyway the intended overall message of the Scriptures.

Having said that, this verse seems to contain an error, and then the error is compounded by an explanation. The error is in this comment about the Ark of God. The first problem that we have is that there is absolutely no evidence that the Ark had been removed from Kirjath-jearim where the Ark resided during this period of time. The Ark had been there since the end of the days of Eli. And there is no evidence that Israel had gone to pick it up, nor would they until the days when David would become king and he would try to bring the Ark into Jerusalem – making the City of David both the political and the religious center of Israel. And if they had gone to Kirjath-jearim to get the Ark, there would be no reason to take it back there for David to bring up later. The tabernacle, the place where the Ark belonged, was in Shiloh during the days of Saul. The second problem is that there is no reason for the Ark to be carried into battle against the Philistines. That was how they lost the Ark – and the reason why the Ark was in Kirjath-jearim – in the first place. And it appears that someone in ancient times was looking at this text and realized that it did not really make sense so they compounded the error by adding the statement that the Ark was with the Israelites “at that time.”

We do have an alternate reading to this verse, and it is one that does actually make sense. The alternative reading is found in the Septuagint, a collection of the Hebrew Scriptures translated into Greek just before the birth of Christ. The Septuagint reads that it was ephod of the priest, or the priestly cape, that Israel had with them on that day. The priest would often put on the ephod whenever he inquired of God the path that needed to be taken. And that fits clearly the context of this situation. Saul wanted to inquire of God, and the priest was putting on the ephod and lifting up his hands to make the inquiry.

But, having said all of that, the apparent error of the text in no way changes the intent of the passage. It is still a story about Saul, a priest and the defeating of the Philistines.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 15

Note: The VantagePoint Sermon "Temple Tantrum" from the Series "In the Hands of an Angry God." is now available on the VantagePoint Website - you can find it here.

So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. – 1 Samuel 13:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 5, 2012): 1 Samuel 13

In Western culture, we make a lot of the division that exists in the various aspects of the law. Effectively, we have three different bodies, all with jobs to do in respect to the law. In our culture, it is the elected officials that design the laws we follow. The different houses that form our governments suggest and pass a law into existence. But at that point their responsibility ends and the law passes to another group. It is a group that we call law enforcement (police) that begins to deal with the law. And the job of law enforcement is to deal with people that appear to be breaking the law. And so they make arrests and then pass the responsibility off to another group. The third group is the judicial system. Judges take those that have been accused of breaking the law by law enforcement and do their best to ascertain the truth. Judges do not make arrests and they do not make new laws. But their job is that they take the law that has been passed and interpret it in such a way that guilt or innocence can be determined - three groups with three very different jobs.

In theory, this is the way it works, but in practice it can be very different. Sometimes the police do not search out certain crimes, and sometimes the judicial system refuses to prosecutes, or a judge may even reach beyond the law and, by doing so, they actually change the law at hand. These acts are frowned on, but they do happen.

In ancient Israel, there was a similar division of responsibility when it came to the law. Essentially, Israel was intended to be a theocracy. That meant that it was ruled by God – and God alone. And all law emanated from God. But the law of God was translated and interpreted by the prophets of the nation. The prophets reminded the nation of the desires of the God that created them and governed over them. The priests, on the other hand, fulfilled the duties of the judicial system. They discovered guilt and announced penalties. It was their job to punish and to accept the sacrifices of the people for the sins that had been committed. And the king and the military were responsible for the security of the nation. The three groups performed three very different roles in the life of the nation.

Saul was the king. He was also known as a prophet, but he was not a priest. And that was the problem. When Saul accepted the sacrifice on behalf of the people, he assumed the role of the priest – a role that did not belong to him. And it was a role that was forbidden to him. And that brought him into conflict with the law of God. In Saul’s day, the role of the priest belonged to Samuel.

The three roles would not be combined into one person until Jesus. Only he would or could  be the Prophet, Priest and King.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 14

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king. – 1 Samuel 12:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 4, 2012): 1 Samuel 12

We have a unity problem. I am not sure that we would admit that, but we do. And where it seems to rear its ugly head is in the competitions between the Christian divisions. I honestly believe that among the main line Christian denominations there is 90% to 95% that we agree on. Even the differences between the Protestant and Catholic belief systems are swiftly disappearing. I openly admit that that I think that the Protestants may have swung too far away from the center. So, when I was growing up, Ash Wednesday and the season of Advent were foreign concepts to me, but today they are being reclaimed by the Protestant Church, and model came from our Catholic brothers and sisters. I have freely admitted that I think I have my theology 90% right. Some are offended by that, but I think it would be pride to go beyond that number – and it would also mean that I am no longer learning. But my big problem is that I am not sure where the 10% is where I am wrong. So, I need to depend on God. My theology might be wrong in some places, but I count daily on the presence of God – and the gifts of God – to keep me going. And if we need a spot for the unity to start, that might be the place.

Samuel begins to reveal the real reason why Israel demanded a king like the ones that the surrounding nations had. And it is because the kings of the surrounding nations were threatening Israel – and they seemed to be in possession of the one thing that Israel had not – unity. And somehow, even though God had continually called the tribes of Israel – the sons of Jacob - to unite as brothers under his banner, Israel perceived that the unity problem was God’s fault – and a human king would be the solution needed to fix the problem. And even though God had been faithful, and he had always solved the problems that had faced his children, the bottom line was that Israel had lost trust in God.

What Israel seemed to be unable to realize was that no matter what system of government they would institute, they would always stand in need of God. And the future of the nation would often depend on a unity that they could only get from God - because we have been designed by God to do life together. And what was true for Israel is still true today. The Christian Church is never as strong as when they unite under God’s banner and decide to stand together.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 13