Reading With the People of God #10 KingdomSample

Focus of the month: (Kingdom)

7 Now, therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, 8 and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 9 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly, 10 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house. 11 When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, 14 but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’ ”.

- 1 Chronicles 17:7-14

Mercy and Humility, Law and Preference

As the story of David unfolds, we learn more details about how the kingdom of Israel still suffers from their preferences and choices. In the midst of the military victory, we read about David’s display of grief. While his heart showed mercy, he also had to have humility in the reprimand he received for insulting the people who fought for him. As the people were standing up for God’s choice as king, they had to fight fellow countrymen who preferred to follow the evils of Absalom. While we may not have to battle in this way, it can feel very difficult to stand up for what is right as God defines it. It is important to recognize this whether in David’s day or in ours. Later in the chapter, we see Mephibosheth demonstrate humility and honor God’s ruler. He was also experiencing grief, loss of position, and hopelessness if David didn’t accept him.

Knowing what is right and what is the will of God is the greatest challenge. As we have the opportunity to read God’s word daily, we can be confident that God provides His guidance. We read in Romans 13 about the laws and behavioral expectations God has for all who believe in Him. They are spelled out and followed by living like Christ. The questions then come with issues that are more preferential. Most of the troubles we read about in the Old Testament passages were because the people did not want to wait on God’s plan or have their own accountable relationship with Him. They went against God’s plan, choosing King Saul to rule and tell them what God wanted. It is so much easier to let others tell us what to do rather than weigh the matters against our personal convictions.

Paul addressed this in Romans 14 to help us determine the difference between following God’s direct laws of behavior and those of preference and judgment. This is where our personal relationship with God can truly be seen. We follow God in love for Him and our relationship with Him, but we do not hold ourselves or others to a standard that God did not choose. It should be our goal not to ‘police’ the behavior of others but to bring peace and strengthen each other in our faith and relationship with Jesus, who changes us.

* Primer contributed by Gaylyn Mott, Teacher, Musician, Yarn Artist, member of Cornerstone Community Church