Living in the Spirit
July 2, 2018
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, ‘Look, we are your bone and flesh. For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The Lord said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel.’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years…. David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inwards. And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.
CBS Morning News has a segment, Notes to Self* where successful adults write a message to their younger selves giving them the advice that experience provides. As I read the story of David’s ascension as King of Israel, I flashed forward to 2 Kings 23 where David’s parting words to Israel are recorded and are like the Notes to Self which in many instances are wise advice for the rest of us. Such as verses 3 and 4:
3 The God of Israel has spoken,
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
One who rules over people justly,
ruling in the fear of God,
4 is like the light of morning,
like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,
gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.
While David did a few knuckleheaded things for which he paid dearly, overall, he cared about being righteous in the sight of God and worked at maintaining the relationship. Justice in politics is born out of righteousness in our personal lives. I like Amos’ example of righteousness as being like a plumb line used to assure that building bricks are laid straight. Today we might think about righteousness as being in sync with God.
Remaining in sync with God requires an intentionally of effort to build our relationship with God through the practice of spiritual disciplines and being open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We must make ourselves vulnerable letting go of preconceived notions and trusting that we will not be led astray. It is hard work that we must accomplish in a chaotic world where we can easily fall into the trap of creating and following a god in an image the world wants rather than the God of love that God is. The test of righteousness and ultimately of justice is: if something is not built on the foundation of love (benevolence, good will, esteem*) it is not of God.
Prayer: Lord, forgive me when I move away from your ways. Trust is a rare trait in our world today. Undergird us with your love so that our trust relationship with you spreads among all people until love rules the world. Amen.
*Some of the notes have been compiled and published in book form by the same title by Gayle King.