Reading from Thursday, May 27

Hey there.

Reading for May 27
2 Samuel 12:1-31
So this scene is after David sleeps with Bathsheba, gets her pregnant and then has her husband killed. A prophet comes to David and gives a parable about how there were two men. One was rich and had all sorts of livestock, while the other was poor and has only one lamb. When the rich man had a banquet he took the poor man's only lamb instead of taking from his own wealth and plenty. David ordered that the rich man be severely punished only to find out that the prophet was talking about him all along.

So, instead of punishing David, God punishes the son that came from the David/Bathsheba affair. He strikes the child with an illness. During this time, David fasts and prays all day - the child is sick for seven days and then he dies. David then cleans himself up and begins eating again, saying "What's the point of fasting if he's already dead? Nothing I can do can bring him back."

OK, so a couple of things about this story. First - why would God punish the child for David's wrongdoing? Sure I can see how it would bring him more pain, but that's pretty sadistic stuff. I mean that's the kind of stuff that happens in horror movies where the murderer kills the other people first to make the other character watch and suffer the loss. But even then, if it was to punish David in that way, he dragged it out for seven days. For seven days this child suffered some illness that was likely very painful. If the child had to die for whatever lesson he was trying to teach, why not just take him peacefully?

Second thing - I think David's reaction to the child's ultimate death is one of those profoundly human moments in the Bible. I have been lucky enough so far to have never experienced such a heavy loss, but I can imagine that a lot of people just lose all faith and give up on whatever they were doing before. I don't think that part of the story is in there to show David as being a bad guy, I think its in there to show us how relatable he is to our modern day lives.

John 16:1-33
Here, Jesus is trying to convey to his disciples what will happen to him in the next couple of days. It's obvious what he's talking about now, because we know how the story ends, but here the disciples are completely perplexed by his language. So we see, for maybe the third or fourth time, Jesus breaking down what he's saying for the disciples. In plain language he told them that he was going to die, but that it was OK and it was for their benefit, and that he would return soon. I love this last section:

²⁹Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. ³⁰Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."

 ³¹"You believe at last!"^[b] Jesus answered. ³²"But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
 ³³"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

There's something about that "You believe at last" line that just jumps off the screen at me. It seems as it was spoken with such kindness and relief and gratitude at the disciples finally understanding and believing everything Jesus had been telling them since the beginning. Also, that last line is awesome, another candidate for the cube wall...

Psalm 119:65-80
 ⁷¹ It was good for me to be afflicted
       so that I might learn your decrees.

This line made me think back to the parable that says Fear of God is the root of all wisdom, or something like that. Just for the sake of argument, let's replace "Fear" with "An understanding".

So in this line, the psalmist states that it is good for him to be facing hard times. There is a lot of language in the Bible about suffering and letting it mold and shape you and to consider  it joy to suffer in the name of Christ. So, for those who don't understand God, they will suffer and not see the benefit of suffering. They will just be pissed and not use it as a growth opportunity.

Proverbs 16:4-5
 ⁴ The LORD works out everything for his own ends—
       even the wicked for a day of disaster.
 ⁵ The LORD detests all the proud of heart.
       Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

Verse 4 goes back to the idea of the Jews being the roundabout good guys in the story of Christ. Through their misdeeds, God redeemed the world.

Sorry for the day behind action. Crazy days, crazy days.