"The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain."
2 Samuel 23:3-4
This is a cool and interesting selection that God shared with David. The first part is clear... if we rule over other people, we need to be just, and show respect to God. In other words, our ruling needs to be informed by and subordinate to God's rules. ... Okay, good lesson. And then comes the light and grass part and we're like, hmm. It seemed so clear at first. :) The thing is, it is still on topic; it just gets a little poetic. And that is okay. Poetry can be beautiful, and I love that God (and David) can slip from one to the other. And, if we are able to follow along, perhaps we will catch the beauty and a little more of the point of what God is saying.
We know that Christ is the light and the life of the world, and the morning here reminds me of God talking about laying the foundations of the earth in Job 38:4-7. Part of it says "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." The morning... the light... they all speak of things that the Lord created. In the beginning, God divided the light from the darkness, and a ruler needs to be like this as well... like Christ, following Christ... a light to the world. No shadow or clouds, but clarity and warmth, bringing life to the tender grass by shining clear after a storm. Even referring to God at the beginning of the first verse. God is God, our leader clearly, and he is also a rock, our stability and strength.
Maybe a leader of men needs to be both as well, and needs to be able to see the letter and the spirit, clear and bright laws layered over and meant to enhance life and beauty. Leaders need to make sure that mercy and justice can both coexist, and not rob one another. They need to see that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. They need to understand how the gospel and the truth of everything fit together... not one stapled or nailed to the other, inadequately joined, but both alive, woven as part of each other. And maybe all of us need to see that just a little more today. God and his gospel aren't a little part of this life, or a puzzle piece that we fit into our week right around Sunday. :) They encompass it all... their pattern touches all the pieces. They are what makes it whole and understandable. Today, let's remember the words and the pictures that God gives us... the literal and the figurative, the job and the meaning behind the job, and let's stay true to both.
And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain."
2 Samuel 23:3-4
This is a cool and interesting selection that God shared with David. The first part is clear... if we rule over other people, we need to be just, and show respect to God. In other words, our ruling needs to be informed by and subordinate to God's rules. ... Okay, good lesson. And then comes the light and grass part and we're like, hmm. It seemed so clear at first. :) The thing is, it is still on topic; it just gets a little poetic. And that is okay. Poetry can be beautiful, and I love that God (and David) can slip from one to the other. And, if we are able to follow along, perhaps we will catch the beauty and a little more of the point of what God is saying.
We know that Christ is the light and the life of the world, and the morning here reminds me of God talking about laying the foundations of the earth in Job 38:4-7. Part of it says "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." The morning... the light... they all speak of things that the Lord created. In the beginning, God divided the light from the darkness, and a ruler needs to be like this as well... like Christ, following Christ... a light to the world. No shadow or clouds, but clarity and warmth, bringing life to the tender grass by shining clear after a storm. Even referring to God at the beginning of the first verse. God is God, our leader clearly, and he is also a rock, our stability and strength.
Maybe a leader of men needs to be both as well, and needs to be able to see the letter and the spirit, clear and bright laws layered over and meant to enhance life and beauty. Leaders need to make sure that mercy and justice can both coexist, and not rob one another. They need to see that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. They need to understand how the gospel and the truth of everything fit together... not one stapled or nailed to the other, inadequately joined, but both alive, woven as part of each other. And maybe all of us need to see that just a little more today. God and his gospel aren't a little part of this life, or a puzzle piece that we fit into our week right around Sunday. :) They encompass it all... their pattern touches all the pieces. They are what makes it whole and understandable. Today, let's remember the words and the pictures that God gives us... the literal and the figurative, the job and the meaning behind the job, and let's stay true to both.
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