Date: 07 Dec 1999
Time: 18:51:24
It is interesting to note that sometimes the things we do for God are not really the things that God wants of us. David wanted to build God a house and God seems content to live in a tent. Is this a symbol of the ways we try to put "God in a box" in our lives? Glad in IL
Date: 09 Dec 1999
Time: 15:32:32
Anybody read Dick Wills' book "Waking to God's Dream"?? This scripture reading reminds me of that book. One of the things Wills points out is how we pastors spend time trying toget God to bless our efforts rather than being a part of God's plan or dream for us and our churches.
Here is David, trying to do God a favor, and in the process, David can make a name for himself. God says no-- and tells David how David will be part of a "house." David is invited to be part of God's plan rather than the other way around.
Joseph in Charleston, SC
Date: 13 Dec 1999
Time: 06:49:21
How often do we give gifts to people that really are gifts that we think they will enjoy and not gifts that they really would like to have and be meanful? As David was giving a gift to God, God was showing God the real gift that he wanted and that was the creation of a family and a house.
This is a wonderful text to talk about the different Houses of the royal throne in England and how they have changed over the years but the throne is still there. Just as we change over the years and God is still there for us.
Just food for thought
WWG
Date: 15 Dec 1999
Time: 01:00:47
How presumptious we can get in the church. How righteous we think we are. We cannot build anything for, or, to God of our own strength. In relation to God we are mere nothing. David didn't really appreciate what he was saying. He was suggesting that he could contain the word of God, or that in some way he was worthy of constructing a structure which would ensure the security of the word of God. If we compare this with the Gospel for this week we can see that the word of God became so vulnerable as to be an embryo in the womb of a young girl called Mary. God's love cannot be contained, structured or manipulated. It is the total vulnerability of our God that allows us to say, "God is love." A tent is a far more flexible structure and it is only when we place constraints upon God's love, that we do him the most disservice.
Peace to all.
KGB
Date: 16 Dec 1999
Time: 17:22:45
I am toying with the use of the "house" language with emerges in several ways in this text, and which becomes part of the language of the story of the incarnation. The king is settled in his house (v. 1), a "house of cedar" (v. 2). The discussion of building the Lord a house in which to live, the "house of Jacob" over which the king rules (and this language is picked up in this week's gospel lesson). If we extend the lesson to the nativity, we might even note that the Messiah is to come from the "house of David" (his lineage but also the symbol of his authority) and to be born in Bethlehem--literally, "house of bread."
I'm thinking of picking up the multiple meanings of the Hebrew and bringing it into a contemporary context. House means a lot of things to us, as well--our house (metaphorically meaning our lineage but also meaning the physical structure in which we live) becomes an important part of our identity. House ownership is a mark of maturity and success. "A person's home is his/her castle." Etc. And of course, this week, many of us will gather with our whole household in our house to celebrate the birth of Christ. As we do, we should remember that as for our house, we are to be all of these houses: the place where people who belong to God live, the place where God rules, the place where the light of Christ shines, the place from which Christ can be sent forth to the world.
Some early ruminations. Not all that early now, I guess.
One other note: It seems to me like vv. 12-13 should also be part of the lection. The RCL planners obviously wanted to give this pericope prophetic significance by placing it on the Sunday before Christmas, and vv. 12-13 make this clearest of all.
Blessed Advent IV--and merry Christmas, BE in KC
Date: 17 Dec 1999
Time: 18:28:38
I've never contributed before but I had to say to Joseph in Charleston SC: I pastor four little churches that are now discussing joining together as one church and I've been encouraging the people to pray for God's will in this matter. Your statement, "...how we pastors spend time trying toget God to bless our efforts rather than being a part of God's plan or dream for us and our churches..." is exactly what I need to hear, and exactly what all of us in this process need to hear. Thank you for giving me a focus for my message this week (by the way, I'm firmly in the middle on the issue -- I'm not exactly sure what God's will is here, though I've had some parishioners tell me that no matter what they will vote one way or another -- I keep asking them to seek God's will)... Bill -- in PA