I am really drawn to Solomon's Prayer. I noticed right away the repetition of "listen from your heavenly dwelling" or "listen in heaven." I am curious as to the Israelites' concept of Heaven. And after all the ways that the God of Israel had shown God's presence among them, Solomon's prayer seems to me like a prayer to a far-away God. He wondered if the Temple built for God could ever contain God, so he does recognize the awesomeness of God. Solomon also questioned whether God indeed dwells among men on earth? (1 Kings 8:27) What does dwell mean in this case? And how does God dwell in me? Could that mean that God is revealed through me? Maybe that is how I am the image of God.
In Solomon's prayer he addresses God and speaks of God's acts of goodness to the people of Israel and then petitions God to continue to bless them, be merciful to them, forgive them, condemn the wicked and acquit the just. Each petition begins with If....(we do this) Listen from your heavenly dwelling and respond appropriately (with pardon, forgiveness, defend their cause.) It is written in a very covenantal fashion, just as God promised. The Deuteronomistic historians in these written petitions seem to presume that the people, being human, will mess up on the covenant and will need God's mercy and compassion and pardon. And because the people mess up so frequently and turn away from God's covenant, trying to do their own thing, God is always near to protect and pronounce judgment upon their actions and then always call them back. So this does not seem like the far-away God in Heaven, but a God who is ever near.
Finally Solomon ends the prayer by turning to his people and saying " Now God has done God's part, promised us and blessed us with many things. God has upheld God's part of the covenant now we must follow him in everything and keep the commands, statutes, and ordinances which God has enjoined on our father. You must be wholly devoted to the Lord, our God."
Can it indeed be that God dwells among people on earth?
By living my life and following God in everything I do and keeping the commands and being obedient to the covenant, I can manifest the God dwelling in me and through me. Certainly that gives me cause to examine how I live my everyday life. I, who am the image of God, must reflect God in everything I do. An awesome and challenging call, but the God who is near will "listen" when I cry for help and respond appropriately.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
God never changes; we do
Toward the faithful you are faithful;
toward the wholehearted you are whole hearted;
Toward the sincere you are sincere;
but toward the crooked you are astute.
2 Sam. 22:26-27
Eli and his family were condemned by God because his sons were blaspheming God, and Eli did not reprove them. We also see that Samule's two sons - appointed as judges over Israel also did not follow Samuel's example but sought illicit gain and accepted bribes, perverting justice. As a parent that is a pretty sobering thought. We are responsible for guiding our children and correcting or redirecting them when they, especially as young adults, try to make it on their own in our society that rewards the powerful. Eli led a good and holy life and was a good role model to his sons. I sometimes feel as a parent that if my children are just watching how Andy and I live they will learn from us. But maybe this passive hoping is not enough. We have to teach our children well and then advise and admonish them as needed.
The elders of Israel came to Samuel and said,, "Now that you are old, and your sons do not follow your example, appoint a king over us, as other nations have, to judge us." ( 1 Sam. 8:5) They wanted a king with "skin on." God told them what a king will do including: taking sons for battle, appointing commanders for soldiers, using daughters as oinment-makers, cooks and bakers, taking the best fields, taking male and female servants. When all this happens you will complain, but I will not answer. What happens to someone when they come to power? We see in the example of Saul, when he was victorious as king, in battle it was attributed to God; when he began fudging on or altering the commands of God , he challenged God's honor and his kingship was rejectied by God. David on the other had many chances to uses his power by disobeying God's commands; when he had chances to kill Saul who was pursuing him, or when he was faithful to Jonathan and his lame son, whom he invited to be a guest at his table forever. I'm struck by the description of Saul's humanity as brash, bold, arrogant and wealthy. He wanted to protect his status and accomplishments. These words describe people of power in our society. There are many levels of power and this pattern of action can fit at what ever level of power you have. I think of my prinicpal (boss) and how she uses her power. I ask myself how do I use my power over students or do I empower them? God still asks the same of us as God did the Isralites, to obey and listen to God's commands and follow them.
God is never changing. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I can trust that the same God that wanted obedience and fidelity of the ancient Israelites, the judges, and the kings wants the same from me. God never changes, but I sometimes want to alter my course to benefit me, to glorify my accomplishments and to seek recognition. God's promise still holds true; if you follow my commands to love one another, in whatever culture, time or place that you are in, I will be there and you will be my people.
toward the wholehearted you are whole hearted;
Toward the sincere you are sincere;
but toward the crooked you are astute.
2 Sam. 22:26-27
Eli and his family were condemned by God because his sons were blaspheming God, and Eli did not reprove them. We also see that Samule's two sons - appointed as judges over Israel also did not follow Samuel's example but sought illicit gain and accepted bribes, perverting justice. As a parent that is a pretty sobering thought. We are responsible for guiding our children and correcting or redirecting them when they, especially as young adults, try to make it on their own in our society that rewards the powerful. Eli led a good and holy life and was a good role model to his sons. I sometimes feel as a parent that if my children are just watching how Andy and I live they will learn from us. But maybe this passive hoping is not enough. We have to teach our children well and then advise and admonish them as needed.
The elders of Israel came to Samuel and said,, "Now that you are old, and your sons do not follow your example, appoint a king over us, as other nations have, to judge us." ( 1 Sam. 8:5) They wanted a king with "skin on." God told them what a king will do including: taking sons for battle, appointing commanders for soldiers, using daughters as oinment-makers, cooks and bakers, taking the best fields, taking male and female servants. When all this happens you will complain, but I will not answer. What happens to someone when they come to power? We see in the example of Saul, when he was victorious as king, in battle it was attributed to God; when he began fudging on or altering the commands of God , he challenged God's honor and his kingship was rejectied by God. David on the other had many chances to uses his power by disobeying God's commands; when he had chances to kill Saul who was pursuing him, or when he was faithful to Jonathan and his lame son, whom he invited to be a guest at his table forever. I'm struck by the description of Saul's humanity as brash, bold, arrogant and wealthy. He wanted to protect his status and accomplishments. These words describe people of power in our society. There are many levels of power and this pattern of action can fit at what ever level of power you have. I think of my prinicpal (boss) and how she uses her power. I ask myself how do I use my power over students or do I empower them? God still asks the same of us as God did the Isralites, to obey and listen to God's commands and follow them.
God is never changing. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I can trust that the same God that wanted obedience and fidelity of the ancient Israelites, the judges, and the kings wants the same from me. God never changes, but I sometimes want to alter my course to benefit me, to glorify my accomplishments and to seek recognition. God's promise still holds true; if you follow my commands to love one another, in whatever culture, time or place that you are in, I will be there and you will be my people.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
The Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go.
Upon first read of the conquest stories in the Book of Joshua I was horrified at the killings, exterminations of whole cities and tortures before death. This was not the God of faithfulness that I had come to know. It seems that I had just become comfortable with a God of judgment rather than punishment but now THIS! Then I remembered that this is not an historical account, this is the Israelites looking back and retelling rememberances of how God acted in their lives. The second time I read it I first read the introduction that stated the purpose of the Book of Joshua - to demonstrate God's fidelity in giving to the Isralites the land he had promised them for an inheritance.
That's when I remembered the words of a song I learned at vacation bible school long ago.
"Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go!"
This time when I reread it, it seemed like a kind of superman story. Everything went Joshua's way. victory after victory. "Be strong and courageuos!" Johsua never questioned what God asked him to do. He was obedient and realized that all of this came from God. Okay this was the God who"was with us wherever we go". I began to think more about Martin's reflection about the Promised Land not being a geographical place, but an identity of who the Isaralites were in relationship to God. I thought of another song "If God is for us, who can be against us. If God is on our side, what can we be denied." According to Webster, fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty or covenant (my words). God is demonstrating fidelity and asking us to do the same.
In the book of Judges the purpose of the book is to show that the fortunes of Israel depended upon the obedience or disobedience of the people to God's laws. Whenever they rebelled against him, they were oppressed by pagan nations; when they repented, he raised up judges to deliver them. This is where the analogy of Yahweh as husband and the Israelites as wife really came alive for me. This relationship of Yahweh providing and protecting; and the Israelites obeying and honoring expressed by their faithfulness was strengthened. From the very beginning God calls us into relationship: with God, with others and with nature. And then God responds "Be strong and courageous! Do not be terified. Do not be discouraged for the Lord, your God, is with you whever you go!"
That's when I remembered the words of a song I learned at vacation bible school long ago.
"Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go!"
This time when I reread it, it seemed like a kind of superman story. Everything went Joshua's way. victory after victory. "Be strong and courageuos!" Johsua never questioned what God asked him to do. He was obedient and realized that all of this came from God. Okay this was the God who"was with us wherever we go". I began to think more about Martin's reflection about the Promised Land not being a geographical place, but an identity of who the Isaralites were in relationship to God. I thought of another song "If God is for us, who can be against us. If God is on our side, what can we be denied." According to Webster, fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty or covenant (my words). God is demonstrating fidelity and asking us to do the same.
In the book of Judges the purpose of the book is to show that the fortunes of Israel depended upon the obedience or disobedience of the people to God's laws. Whenever they rebelled against him, they were oppressed by pagan nations; when they repented, he raised up judges to deliver them. This is where the analogy of Yahweh as husband and the Israelites as wife really came alive for me. This relationship of Yahweh providing and protecting; and the Israelites obeying and honoring expressed by their faithfulness was strengthened. From the very beginning God calls us into relationship: with God, with others and with nature. And then God responds "Be strong and courageous! Do not be terified. Do not be discouraged for the Lord, your God, is with you whever you go!"
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