The Lord Dwelled In My House
Over the last couple of weeks I
have spent a lot of time with our Old Testament text for today. And as I read
this text, along with the others in the book of Samuel that we’ve been working
through the last few weeks, I’ve begun to get to know the characters in the
stories. I see David and his closeness with God, but also his ambition and sly
political maneuvering. I hear Michal’s disappointment at being nothing but a
political plaything for David to use for his gain, and how the humility and
earnestness that she once saw in his eyes have become clouded over with
calculation and pride.
And
I’ve started to notice minor characters as well. Ones whose stories don’t fit
the narrative of David’s righteous rise to power. Uzzah, and Ahio, for example.
Ahio’s name literally means, “his brother” his real name was long forgotten by
the authors of our story. Oh, Uzzah, poor soul, he’s barely even a character .
Just a tool of the author, put there to put the fear of God into David once
more. As I begin to pay attention to these characters I wonder what they might
have to say to us about our story, were they given voice to speak.
So
this is my take, on what one character might have said, had there been room in
the official narrative for him. I speak to you as Obed-Edom, a Philistine who
is given the ark for three months before it is finally brought into
Jerusalem. When David and those
with him see God strike down Uzzah before their very eyes for trying to steady
the ark, they are afraid, and move to get rid of the dangerous but holy ark as
quickly as they can. Rather than risking God’s wrath himself, David leaves it
with Obed-Edom, a resident alien, in Israel. This is what I imagine he might
have to tell us, were the spotlight focused on him.
When
David and his 30,000 came to my homestead with the ark of the Covenant, I was
afraid. No Philistine is ever all that comfortable surrounded by a Hebrew army.
The ark stood before them. It was borne on a cart by two oxen, and none of them
would go near it with a ten-foot pole. I wasn’t particularly excited about it
either, when my people captured it from the Israelites many years ago, it made
its way to Gath, and struck so many people with tumors and that eventually we
sent it away. I couldn’t imagine what plagues it might bring to my door now.
Then
David came forward and declared that he was leaving the ark with me. He acted
like it was a great gift, but I could see in his eyes that he was angry, and
afraid. They tell you not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I asked
anyway. What was it that cause them to abort their celebration and bring the
ark here?
When
I heard what had happened, that Uzzah had reached out to steady the ark and was
then struck down, I was even more terrified at the ark. But I guess I was more
afraid of the army behind it. They put it down in the courtyard. It was like
they had placed an anvil above my head. That night as the sun set I watched it
and wondered when it might crush me.
I didn’t know what to do with it,
of course. I knew only that it was holy, and that armies trembled before it. I
couldn’t think of anything else, so I knelt down and prayed. This became a
rhythm for me. When the sun set, I would set myself down before it in prayer.
And as the sun rose I would rise with it to pray before the ark.
At
first I prayed in fear, but soon my fear turned into awe. I prayed in awe, and
my awe turned into faith. I prayed in faith, and my faith turned into love. I
prayed in love and was awakened to God’s presence. Each sun rise and sun set, I
became all the more confident in God’s presence in my life. I found comfort,
and peace, in the knowledge that God was here with me. I found confidence, for
to love God is to trust that God is on your side, in feast and famine, however
your lot may fall. I and my house prospered when the ark was with us. Like
Abraham my faith was reckoned to me as righteousness, and I was blessed.
Others
noticed the blessings which I had received. They noted the confidence with
which I walked, the comfort that I had in the knowledge that the Lord was with
me. They saw my newfound generosity, the way no one went cold or hungry on my
watch, the way I sought justice with fervor and gave mercy with grace. When
word got out of my success, it was only a matter of time before David came to
take it back. When he did he brought along another parade, and they went forth
to Jerusalem with gladness and celebrations. I followed at a safe distance,
quietly mourning as the nation cheered. God was coming to them, but God was
also leaving me.
I
ate at the king’s feast in Jerusalem, one last meal before I returned home to
my old life. All of the people went back to their homes, and I started the
journey back to mine. The sun set as I passed the last gate on my way out of
Jerusalem. Out of reflex, I dropped down on my knees and prayed. I prayed in fear, fear that I would
lose this presence that had come to fill my life so deeply. This far away from
the ark, from God’s presence, I didn’t expect to feel much. But as I prayed my
fear turned into awe, awe that God was present even here. And my awe turned
into faith, faith that God will go with me wherever I go. And my faith turned
into love, a love of God so deep that I will proclaim wherever I go, that the God of Israel, the God of David,
Abraham, and Jacob is my God, and God has blessed me with his presence whether
his temple is near or far, whether I feel it or not.
I
don’t know what to tell you except to proclaim that the Lord lives, and in
spite of the dangers we face, the fears we experience, the stress and the
frustration and the exhaustion that life can bring with is, God’s presence is
real, and it is available to you.
You need only to let your fear turn into love, let your awe turn into
praise, let your faith turn into trust. Humble yourself before the Lord and you
will come to know him as I have. The Lord dwelled in my house for three months,
but I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment