1 Kings 2: Consolidation
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Ferdinand Bol: David’s Dying Charge to Solomon
In this forgetting of self and others . . . we show our forgetfulness of God.
David leaves a kingdom and a way of life to his son, Solomon because he knows how difficult it is to maintain fidelity and remain in God. David also knows how much God loves his people and how willing God is to forgive us our faults. The aging father tries to pass along his understanding of “the measure” to his young son and when we read this entire story we see how much Solomon is able to retain; we find out how and if he prospers from his father’s final words.
Jesus makes the rules of his kingdom clear to us: The measure that you measure with is measured out to you. There is only one true commandment – love God and love one another, even as I have loved you. In this week’s scripture class we are asked to re-think the yardsticks we constantly use to make decisions about what we will say and what we will do. Do we show partiality to a special group of people or to a special idea? How do we perceive others? How do we perceive ourselves? How do our actions demonstrate our perception of God?
James calls us back to the realization that we do not see as God sees, and he reminds us that when we make judgments we so often are looking at the external and forgetting that Jesus lives in everyone we meet – even those people we do not like. James tells us in 2:1-13 that when we show deference to those with money and power, we neglect those who are poor in worldly treasures and those who are poor in spirit. We neglect those with whom Jesus chooses to reside, the physically, emotionally and spiritually marginalized. Jesus calls the poor and the broken-hearted to himself in order that he might heal them. These are the people for whom Jesus demonstrates compassion. And so ought we. Jesus calls the rich and powerful to an accounting. He is moved to rebuke them for their lack of regard for his poor and broken-hearted. And so ought we to be moved if we wish to bring about the kingdom.
Today we read of all the plotting and scheming that occur as the young King Solomon consolidates his kingdom. He lives in treacherous times. So do we. And so we pray . . .
Dear Lord,
It is so very difficult to trust in you alone. We so often forget that you are watching over us and accompanying us in our journey. The world seems so very scary and in our human survival reaction to our fears, we forget to rely on you alone. Help us to see as you see. Help us to look past the external. Help us to feel as you feel. Move us with your compassion. Grace us with the gift of your love. Help us to free ourselves by acting in humility, mercy and forgiveness. Help us to see that by freeing others we also free ourselves. And when we move to consolidate our forces from our feeble human weak places, remind us to come together with others in you. We ask this in Jesus’ name as we give ourselves over to the power of the Holy Spirit who lives and moves in us, and who calls us to unity.
Amen.
Adapted from a reflection written on January 30, 2010 and posted today as a Favorite.
For more on the story portrayed in the painting above, click on the image or go to: http://fourhandles.blogspot.com/2011/04/1-kings-23-davids-final-advise-to.html
The Noontimes 