Saturday, June 12, 2021
Service for the House of the Lord
In today’s reading we are witnesses to a moment in human history that is difficult to match. David forfeits the building of a temple that would surely bring him worldly fame. He does this in order that he might obey God above all others, even above his own desires.
Yes, David hands all of his plans over to his son Solomon and this son will carry out those plans in a grand scale; but David steps back from his own desire.
Yes, David’s plans are meticulous in nature and we may consider that he wants to control his son from the distance; but David conveys the desires of God rather than self.
Yes, David sins and fails as he moves through his life and we may believe ourselves better than he; but David repents and returns to God, keeping in mind who is Lord of all.
What I like most in this reading is the ending of the chapter with the verses David speaks to his son. We might all offer these words to the generations who follow us and, indeed, to one another: Be firm and steadfast; go to work without fear or discouragement, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or abandon you before you have completed all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.
And the people reply . . . Amen!
Adapted from a reflection written on Wednesday, May 18, 2011.
To read about King David’s palace uncovered in 2013, visit: https://news.yahoo.com/king-david-era-palace-found-israel-archaeologists-141207932.html or https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna52529132
Image from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:5201-king-david-in-prayer-pieter-de-grebber.jpg
The Noontimes 
