Year B Proper 10 15 July 2012
2 Samuel 6: 1-5, 12b-19 Psalm 24 Ephesians 1: 3-14 Mark 6: 14-29
Who will we aim to please? Will we bow to public pressure or do what it is that God requires?
Although our immediate response is probably that we aim to please God, when we start to examine our lives, we might just find that what we theoretically would like to think we do, doesn’t quite equate with the reality.
Our first reading is about King David bringing the Ark of the Lord back into the Holy Place and to the position of power and authority.
The Ark had previously been captured by the Philistines and David had already once attempted to bring the Ark back but they came upon misadventure. They had been carrying the ark on a cart and as it went to fall, one of the priest’s, Uzzah, reached out and touched it. He was then struck down dead for this act of irreverence.
This Ark of the Lord was so connected with the presence of God that, though it was acknowledged that it could not possible contain God, it was enveloped in God’s holiness and signified God. God had given specific rules about how this ark was to be carried and previously David and his men had gotten it wrong, and more probably, their attitude was also wrong.
2 Samuel 6:13 “13 When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.”
Six steps, like the six days of creation and then the sacred day. It is an action that signified the LORD who is God, creator of the universe – the one who is sovereign and whose will was foremost.
Previously the Ark was transported on a cart but this time it was carried by the Levites – the priests, who were ordained for this role. This one little fact is something that I would like us to think about.
We can think of the Ark as carrying God. Through our baptism we are marked as those ordained to “carry” God. But be warned, he won’t bow to our own ways of doing things, even if we claim to be doing these things for him. David and his men were bringing God into their place... almost as a force to be under their control – a lucky charm.... this is how the other nations treated and entreated their Gods. Though they offered sacrifices it was not to show service to and the dominion of God – but to appease and control. God would not be controlled or manipulated into helping any nation – even his own beloved Israel. God is God and he doesn’t bow to us, but we bow to him.
It is interesting to reflect on the areas of our life. Do we expect that things should go well for us because we are Christians?
Have you ever found yourself bargaining with God.... “Lord if you will help me do such and such, I will such and such etc...” “If I win the lotto Lord, I’ll use it to set up a charity....” “If you help me.... , then I will give all the glory to you.” It is all so noble sounding.... But it is idolatry!
Whether or not things go well for us should have no bearing on our relationship with God. We “carry” the living God. We serve him.
As servants of God we have a responsibility to “carry” God as an essential and constant part of our being, and not have him “on a cart”.... something attached, on show, but somewhat apart.
When David finally brought the Ark into its resting place he danced before the Lord. 2 Samuel 6:16, “As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.”
David finally had understood that he needed to fear and heed the commands of God, yet in this time of victory his wife despised him for his seemingly humble actions. Throughout the story of King David there are many times when we see his humility and willingness to be despised by humans and humble before God. Regardless of the circumstance and often in the hard times of being pursued by enemies, King David submits his life to God with disregard for the jeers of those looking on.
In our Gospel reading we find an example of the opposite. Mark 6:26 “26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head.”
King Herod was to act on a foolish and rashly made oath. The way the story is told indicates that he wasn’t happy about this, but felt obligated to please his dinner guests by upholding his oath.
People in positions of power, such as politicians, are most likely to understand this kind of pressure. They need the affirmation of the people for their position to be secure, but should they cave to the majority opinion when they know the issue on the table is morally wrong?
We can easily see how this can happen, but what about those of us in positions of limited power? Are we any different in our everyday work conversations? Do we bow to the majority opinion, go along with the view, even if it is morally wrong, just so that we will be socially accepted?
Ephesians 1:11- 14 “ In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”
It is all too easy to think that we are powerless, non-confrontational, Christians whose only responsibility is to strive to believe God and leave all the “hard” stuff to the missionaries, ministers and the very committed Christians who have no other life. We see by reading Ephesians that we have been chosen and predestined for a specific purpose. For that purpose we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and if nothing else, we need to understand that we “carry” Christ.
Always, in our being, is the living God who calls us to acknowledge him as Lord of our lives. We bow to him only and not to the pressure around us
