Friday, January 19, 2024
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Asylum in the desert
Between this mountain and that, there must be an unclean spirit. Everyone is acting crazy.
Saul went in search of David to kill him. He took three thousand men with him. David and his own men were hiding in a cave. Saul went into the cave to relieve himself. David crept up and cut off an end of Saul’s coat. As soon as he had done it, David was sure he had done wrong. ”The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed!”
But David’s self-loathing was only skin-deep. His frustration with King Saul came boiling out a moment later.
My Lord, the King! I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead. I have done you no wrong, though you are hunting me down to take my life. The Lord will judge between me and you, and the Lord will exact justice from you in my case. I shall not touch you.
As David spoke, his anger held in so long, burst forth.
Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, or a single flea! The Lord will be the judge; he will decide between me and you. May he see this, and take my part, and grant me justice beyond your reach!
When David explodes, Saul retreats. He speaks out of humility and love, or so it sounds at the moment. Passive aggressive double messages are richocheting off all these rocky cliffs.
Is that your voice, my son David? And Saul wept aloud. You have treated me generously, while I have done you harm. Great has been your generosity today, when you did not kill me. May the Lord reward you generously. You shall surely become king.
What should David do? He did not return home with his king; he did withdraw back into the mountains, praying all the while, to see what happened next.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy. In the shadow of your wings I take refuge, until harm passes by.
I’m learning very slowly to hold my thoughts and decisions when I’m feeling afraid, angry, confused and overwhelmed. But what to do instead? For David, it was withdrawing into the mountains, playing his harp, singing his prayers to God, until he fell asleep or heard God’s voice in his ear. His followers fixed the food and cleaned the dishes, and David helped them. The group made no plans beyond the next day.
For me? I learn more quickly these days to breathe deeply, close my eyes, and consider this a prayer – to trust God to know me better than I know myself. And also I ask God to slow down my thinking, just one thing at a time, just what is happening now and NOT what might be happening later.
In the wilderness David matured, able to follow God rather than his own mind. That can be true for me as well, not in the wilderness of the Negev, but in my own solitary life.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God; above all the earth be your glory! For your mercy towers to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the skies.
Job went through his personal hell, and God found him there, and God quieted him with his words. A profound peace fell upon Job, and he spoke to Yahweh:
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.
Open my eyes too, Lord. I want to see you.
(1 Samuel 24, Psalm 57, 2 Corinthians 5, Mark 3)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
#
