Proper 10
Devotional
Streams of Living Water
Lectionary Devotional for Cycle B
Object:
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
David danced before the Lord with all his might.
-- 2 Samuel 6:14a
Many Christians could more easily identify with Michal than David in this scene. We take our religion seriously and are reluctant to allow our enthusiasm to get the best of us. David is worshiping God with abandon. In a sense, he is loving God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. When we think of people worshiping God with such enthusiasm and using their bodies to do so, like Michal, we tend to be disdainful. What would it mean for us to give ourselves over to God with such abandon? First, it would mean that we were more focused on expressing ourselves in praise to God than we were worried about what others were thinking. Second, note that when David releases himself in such a manner in worship, it also results in a generosity toward others as well. "When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, and distributed food among all the people...."
When you give yourself to God, it overflows toward your neighbor. Thus the second commandment is like the first: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." David's intention was to find an appropriate place on earth for the ark of God. The ark symbolized God's presence. Our churches are testimony to God fleshed out on earth in the person of Jesus. We are to point to God's presence in the body of Christ. Yet our restraint may reflect our reluctance to recognize God among us.
Psalm 24
Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
-- Psalm 24:3a
Psalm 24 appears to consist of three sections. Verses 1-2 establish God's relationship to creation. Verses 3-6 describe the one worthy to enter God's presence. Verses 7-10 talk of how to receive the king of glory. If the earth is the Lord's and all who dwell therein (vv. 1-2), then as several of Jesus' parables suggest, we need to think of how we will receive the Lord when he returns to his own and asks how we have handled the talents entrusted to us. The dual focus of God and neighbor is enjoined in saying we should not lift up our soul to what is false nor swear deceitfully. Such people will receive both blessing and vindication (v. 5). The third section may well reflect on how we respond to our fear that we may not have clean hands and a pure heart (v. 4) to receive the Lord. We are told to lift up our heads and be lifted up in order to receive the king of glory.
There is something we must do and something we must allow to be done for us. The God who is Lord of hosts, the powers that structure our universe, both awaits our reception and helps prepare us to receive him. While we need to prepare to come into God's presence, we also have an advocate preparing us. There is both a responsibility and a lifting of a burden in this psalm. As a church we need to focus not only on what we should be doing but also on what we have received from God in preparation for our ministry. A church, as well as its individual members, needs to both lift up its head and be lifted up in order to receive the king of glory.
Ephesians 1:3-14
Just as he chose us ... to be holy and blameless before him in love.
-- Ephesians 1:4
We live in a society that is dominated by a critical spirit. We expend far more energy and seem to relish the result of finding out what is wrong with a person or institution than we ever do in finding out what is right. Stories about scandals get far more space in the media and generate far more gossip than stories about what people are doing right. Ephesians says God made a decision to find us holy and blameless before him in love. Since we are all so aware of our own and others' failures, the idea that we could be holy and blameless seems impossible. Yet God approaches this task not by identifying and weeding out our faults but by making us so strong by God's grace that our faults fade away.
Unlike our negative spirit, God catches us in doing something right. In finding us to be blameless, God does not overlook our sins but entices us to live beyond them. God determines to find in us the diamond that needs polishing. Imagine the body of Christ embodying members in their life together God's gracious will toward each other. What if an entire church determined to find and nurture the best that was in each of their members? When members exhibited less than admirable qualities, the church would praise them for their gifts and invite them to live beyond their failings. Would not such a church be a living testimony to the grace of God? To do so is to rise above our negative spirit and, therefore, would require lots of prayer. But when it happened, it could evoke praise for God who has enabled them to see "every spiritual blessing" (v. 3) that God has given the church.
Mark 6:14-29
The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her.
-- Mark 6:26
This story exemplifies the forces and power that we contend with in this world. King Herod had arrested John the Baptist and put him in prison. John had lectured the king on ethics and declared that "it is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife" (v. 18). Clearly the legal system allowed the king to marry Herodias, but John was declaring the king in violation of God's law. Despite his secular power, Herod apparently had a measure of respect and even fear of John "knowing that he was a righteous and holy man ..." (v. 20). While it is not part of the secular understanding of power, there is power in the ethical that impinges upon ruling authority. But then on his birthday, Herod threw a party for all the people who served him. It was clearly an opportunity for them to express admiration of Herod.
During the party, his daughter danced for them and clearly pleased Herod. He made a grandiose offer in response to her dance to fulfill whatever request she would make of him. Upon consulting with her mother who had been offended by John's condemnation of her marriage, she returned and asked for John's head on a platter. When he heard this, "the king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her" (v. 26). The king was not only affected by ethical considerations but even more so by appearances. All the guests heard him make his oath, and his ego would not let him back down on his promise. He ordered John to be executed against his better judgment because he feared letting others see that he did not keep his promise to his daughter.
How often are major decisions made both in the church and in our society not on the basis of rational thought but because of the force of ego or appearances? "For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).
David danced before the Lord with all his might.
-- 2 Samuel 6:14a
Many Christians could more easily identify with Michal than David in this scene. We take our religion seriously and are reluctant to allow our enthusiasm to get the best of us. David is worshiping God with abandon. In a sense, he is loving God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. When we think of people worshiping God with such enthusiasm and using their bodies to do so, like Michal, we tend to be disdainful. What would it mean for us to give ourselves over to God with such abandon? First, it would mean that we were more focused on expressing ourselves in praise to God than we were worried about what others were thinking. Second, note that when David releases himself in such a manner in worship, it also results in a generosity toward others as well. "When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, and distributed food among all the people...."
When you give yourself to God, it overflows toward your neighbor. Thus the second commandment is like the first: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." David's intention was to find an appropriate place on earth for the ark of God. The ark symbolized God's presence. Our churches are testimony to God fleshed out on earth in the person of Jesus. We are to point to God's presence in the body of Christ. Yet our restraint may reflect our reluctance to recognize God among us.
Psalm 24
Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
-- Psalm 24:3a
Psalm 24 appears to consist of three sections. Verses 1-2 establish God's relationship to creation. Verses 3-6 describe the one worthy to enter God's presence. Verses 7-10 talk of how to receive the king of glory. If the earth is the Lord's and all who dwell therein (vv. 1-2), then as several of Jesus' parables suggest, we need to think of how we will receive the Lord when he returns to his own and asks how we have handled the talents entrusted to us. The dual focus of God and neighbor is enjoined in saying we should not lift up our soul to what is false nor swear deceitfully. Such people will receive both blessing and vindication (v. 5). The third section may well reflect on how we respond to our fear that we may not have clean hands and a pure heart (v. 4) to receive the Lord. We are told to lift up our heads and be lifted up in order to receive the king of glory.
There is something we must do and something we must allow to be done for us. The God who is Lord of hosts, the powers that structure our universe, both awaits our reception and helps prepare us to receive him. While we need to prepare to come into God's presence, we also have an advocate preparing us. There is both a responsibility and a lifting of a burden in this psalm. As a church we need to focus not only on what we should be doing but also on what we have received from God in preparation for our ministry. A church, as well as its individual members, needs to both lift up its head and be lifted up in order to receive the king of glory.
Ephesians 1:3-14
Just as he chose us ... to be holy and blameless before him in love.
-- Ephesians 1:4
We live in a society that is dominated by a critical spirit. We expend far more energy and seem to relish the result of finding out what is wrong with a person or institution than we ever do in finding out what is right. Stories about scandals get far more space in the media and generate far more gossip than stories about what people are doing right. Ephesians says God made a decision to find us holy and blameless before him in love. Since we are all so aware of our own and others' failures, the idea that we could be holy and blameless seems impossible. Yet God approaches this task not by identifying and weeding out our faults but by making us so strong by God's grace that our faults fade away.
Unlike our negative spirit, God catches us in doing something right. In finding us to be blameless, God does not overlook our sins but entices us to live beyond them. God determines to find in us the diamond that needs polishing. Imagine the body of Christ embodying members in their life together God's gracious will toward each other. What if an entire church determined to find and nurture the best that was in each of their members? When members exhibited less than admirable qualities, the church would praise them for their gifts and invite them to live beyond their failings. Would not such a church be a living testimony to the grace of God? To do so is to rise above our negative spirit and, therefore, would require lots of prayer. But when it happened, it could evoke praise for God who has enabled them to see "every spiritual blessing" (v. 3) that God has given the church.
Mark 6:14-29
The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her.
-- Mark 6:26
This story exemplifies the forces and power that we contend with in this world. King Herod had arrested John the Baptist and put him in prison. John had lectured the king on ethics and declared that "it is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife" (v. 18). Clearly the legal system allowed the king to marry Herodias, but John was declaring the king in violation of God's law. Despite his secular power, Herod apparently had a measure of respect and even fear of John "knowing that he was a righteous and holy man ..." (v. 20). While it is not part of the secular understanding of power, there is power in the ethical that impinges upon ruling authority. But then on his birthday, Herod threw a party for all the people who served him. It was clearly an opportunity for them to express admiration of Herod.
During the party, his daughter danced for them and clearly pleased Herod. He made a grandiose offer in response to her dance to fulfill whatever request she would make of him. Upon consulting with her mother who had been offended by John's condemnation of her marriage, she returned and asked for John's head on a platter. When he heard this, "the king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her" (v. 26). The king was not only affected by ethical considerations but even more so by appearances. All the guests heard him make his oath, and his ego would not let him back down on his promise. He ordered John to be executed against his better judgment because he feared letting others see that he did not keep his promise to his daughter.
How often are major decisions made both in the church and in our society not on the basis of rational thought but because of the force of ego or appearances? "For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).
