2 Samuel 15:13-18: Fleeing the Sanctuary
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
In thinking about David as King and priestly leader of a chosen nation, we might forget about the twisting and turning of his story and the times when he fled a place or a people where he had previously found refuge. One summer, I was able to slowly read the books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles to get a better picture of the spiritual history from which we spring. As with all history, the saga is full of error and woe, accompanied by the providential watchfulness of God, and our experience of joy. The story of David is no different, and it merits careful reading and reflection because there are many places in this narrative in which we will want to stop along the way, places that speak to both our losses and our celebrations.
From Psalm 24: Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things, who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.
We are imperfect, yet we cannot let this imperfection keep us from seeking the perfection that is God. Sometimes this seeking is also a healthy escape as when Joseph takes Mary and the infant Jesus to Egypt to avoid the wrath of corrupt leadership. We notice in today’s reading that David in flight pauses opposite the ascent to the Mount of Olives. This is the place where Jesus also halts before entering Jerusalem triumphantly on the day we now celebrate on Palm Sunday. He stays there and sends his disciples ahead to prepare for his entry. Many times in the Gospel, we see Jesus pause, retreat, and even vacate a place or people. We will also notice, if we continue to read, that he gathers himself for re-entry.
From 2 Chronicles 30:18-19: May the Lord, who is good, grant pardon to everyone who has resolved to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, though he be not clean as holiness requires.
Sometimes it is necessary to evacuate the sanctuary. Sometimes we leave behind all that we cherish, all that has made us feel safe and comfortable. Sometimes we step off into an abyss of doubt and anxiety because we fear the destruction of the people and places that normally are our havens.
From Psalm 92: How great are your works, Lord! How profound your purpose!
Sometimes we must leave the sanctuary and take the faithful with us because we go toward something that holds greater value, greater potential, greater hope and life.
From MAGNIFICAT today: To be a disciple means to follow the Master. He ascended the hill of the cross and transformed it into the seat of glory, a holy place. Risen, he invites us to leave behind all worthless desires and seek him in holiness, that is, in love.
Sometimes we are driven from the sanctuary by the ones we hold dearest – as with David and his son Absalom who later self-implodes.
1 Corinthians 2:11: No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
Sometimes we evacuate the haven to look for restoration and then, like David, we may be lead back to this refuge. As humans, it is impossible to know the plan or mind of God, but what we do know, if we allow ourselves to rest in the Spirit, is God’s care, Christ’s healing touch and restoring hand. Yet despite this love, there are times when – in order to take in the enormity of this precious gift, in order to fully receive this gift – we first must evacuate our safe harbor. We must flee the sanctuary.
Tomorrow, despite our flight . . . we make a presentation of our work.
Adapted from a Favorite written on May 15, 2008.
Cameron, Peter John, Rev., ed. “Mini-Reflection.” MAGNIFICAT. 15 May 2008. Print.
Images from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul and http://www.darnleyfineart.com/component/igallery/david-roberts and http://justoccurred.blogspot.com/2014/07/that-this-young-guy-had-issues.html
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