June 18 | 1 Chronicles 17:7-15

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DAILY READING

1 Chronicles 17:7-15

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REFLECTION

David The Architect

By Kathleen Serio

I am laughing to myself thinking of poor David. Can we really not study his story without thinking about sheep? Well, for me, the answer appears to be no. As I read this passage, I cannot help but recall the similar words of promise in Psalm 23.

1 Chronicles 17	Psalm 23
I have been with you  (v. 8)	For you are with me (v. 4)
I have cut off all your enemies (v. 8)	I will fear no evil (v. 4)
I will provide a place for my people (v. 9)	You prepare a table before me (v. 5)
Wicked people will not oppress them anymore (v. 9)	Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me (v. 6)
The Lord will build a house for you (v. 10)	I shall dwell in the house of the Lord (v. 6)
His throne will be established forever (v. 14)	Forever (v.6)

When I look  past the words alone, I think about what God is telling David at this moment. David was trying to honor God with a house fit for a king to keep the Ark of the Covenant in, and God comes along and, the second He hears of David’s plans, He shuts them down. This is far from the only spot in the Bible where God stops His people from thinking about physical locations being important. God is not concerned with buildings. Instead, God is concerned about his people.

Most of us have probably spent some time grappling with the idea of the church versus the Church. The lowercase church is a building, while the uppercase Church is God’s people – those who believe in Him. In this passage, God is talking with David about a house. David is thinking of a physical place to essentially store God, but God is telling David that what is truly important has nothing to do with a where, but with a who. So God stops David from thinking about a physical structure and turns his mind to the house, the family, the lineage, that David will leave behind.

To be honest, thinking about your lineage is a lot to handle. When God told Abraham his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5), that was difficult for him to comprehend, especially since he did not yet have any children. David is being told that God will establish His kingdom through David and that his throne will be established forever (v. 14). Forever is a long time.

David has learned by this point in his life how to trust in God and to let God have that control over his life, but just because he has learned to trust does not make the waiting time any easier.

PRAYER

God please be with us as we wait for your promises to come true. Be with us as we trust in your plan and what you say even when it confuses us. Thank you for caring about your people, your Church, and for living in our hearts. Thank you for being the shepherd who guides us, protects us, cares for us, and loves us.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KATHLEEN SERIO

I grew up at UALC and have been blessed to have many role models in this church. They encouraged me to pursue my passions including volunteering with Young Kids’ VBS, HSM, teaching Sunday School, small groups, Operation Christmas Child, mission trips, ushering, and more. It has been a joy to go from participating in ministries as a kid to becoming a leader as an adult.

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June 17 | Psalm 24

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DAILY READING

Psalm 24

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REFLECTION

Jubilation

By Kim Starr

This psalm is attributed to David and many think it was written when he brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. Built by the Israelites under the guidance of Moses, the Ark of the Covenant was a sacred chest containing the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod, and a pot of manna. The Ark symbolized God’s presence and covenant with his people.

It took David two tries before he successfully brought the Ark to Jerusalem. The failure of the first attempt, recorded in 2 Samuel 6:1-11 and 1 Chronicles 13, made David fear the Lord and temporarily abandon his plan. The Ark was left at the home of Obed-edom the Gittite for 3 months and during that time, Obed-edom’s household received many blessings.

It was after David saw the blessings Obed-edom’s household received that he decided to try to bring the Ark to Jerusalem again. This time, David moved the Ark with greater reverence and in adherence to God’s instructions. The Ark's journey included sacrifices, music, and dancing and is recorded in 2 Samuel 6:12-19 and 1 Chronicles 15-16. David, wearing a sacred garment worn by the High Priest of Israel, danced with all his might, so much so that he embarrassed his wife who confronted him about his behavior. David responded, that he would continue to celebrate before the Lord. 

This psalm speaks loudly to David’s celebrating. He acknowledges that the entire earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord: the land, the water, the people, and all the creatures. Then he says only the pure in heart who love God can stand in any of God’s holy places. There, all generations will receive blessings and pardon from God. David proclaims God is the King of Glory and that he should be lifted up and invited in. He, the King of Glory, shall be above everyone and everything.

Can’t you just see David wearing the priestly garment dancing around, lifting his arms, singing this psalm with joy? His exuberance is beyond anything we can fathom. He is so grateful to have the Ark in Jerusalem with him. He is so excited to be near God’s presence. He epitomizes the saying attributed to Mark Twain, “Sing like no one is listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like no one is watching, and live like it is Heaven on earth.”

Every day God blesses us just like he blessed David in bringing the Ark to Jerusalem. When was the last time we sang, danced, and praised God to the point that David did? We need to lift up the King of Glory and invite Him in. We need to praise Him with vigor and excitement. If you need to see an example of what this looks like, come to Vacation Bible School next week and see the joy of the Lord in each child’s singing, dancing, and praising.

PRAYER

Oh, God, too often we think about how our praising you looks to others. Help us to be like David and show our joy in you with abandon. Let us lift you up, praise and honor you with every fiber of our being. Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KIM STARR

I have been a member of UALC since I was 2-years-old. Over my life I have participated in, and volunteered for, numerous ministries, programs, and activities, all of which have grown and strengthened my faith. I have been blessed beyond measure by not only being a part of this congregation, but also by being able to worship with three generations of my family.

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June 16 | 1 Samuel 16:14-23

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DAILY READING

1 Samuel 16:14-23

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REFLECTION

Trusting the Who

By Dave Mann

Early in 1 Samuel 16, the prophet Samuel had anointed David to be king of Israel.  That was the “what.”  The “when” and the “how” of David’s kingship, Samuel had not addressed.  From the text, it appears that no one had asked those questions.  It seems that after the anointing, David simply returned to the pasture, awaiting further clarification on these additional questions.

King Saul had already forfeited his right to the throne through his disobedience.  (See 1 Samuel 15.)  However, David was not going to claim his right to be king.  He was allowing the Lord to show the way.

In today’s text, we read that God’s Spirit has departed from Saul because of his disobedience, and thus, the king had become the victim of a harmful spirit.  We can only imagine the effect of the weight of leadership on Saul’s shoulders without the Spirit of the Lord guiding and encouraging him.  Saul was a deeply troubled man.

Saul’s attendants sought a way to help the king manage his mental difficulties.  They identified someone with musical talent to soothe his spirit.  (Click here for an example of lyre music.) They found David.  In addition to being a skilled musician, David was known to be a brave soldier, good-looking, and a fine stateman.  When King Saul summoned David, his father, Jesse, sent generous gifts of food to the king -- “a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat.”

Ironically, David, who knew that he was anointed to become king someday, became a servant of the disobedient Saul, helping him to have a modicum of mental stability to lead the nation.  David patiently awaited the day when the Lord would make clear when the throne would become his.  He knew the “what” – the kingship – even when there was no word on the “when” or the “how.”  How could he faithfully serve the disobedient Saul?  Because he knew the “Who.”  David trusted that he and his future were in the hands of a faithful God.

There are certainly applications of David’s patience to our lives.  In our numerous situations of employment, there are times when we might be tempted to give a negative review of our superiors who do a less-than-stellar job in their work.  Perhaps we could follow the example of David serving faithfully those who are, for the moment, over us in the org chart.  How can we serve them well?  By trusting the “Who” to lead.

PRAYER

Lord God, thank you for the example of David’s trust in you.  He surely was a person after your own heart.  Allow us to learn how to follow you even when there might be evidence to complain about poor leadership.  You are the Great Who in our lives.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DAVE MANN

I am a Pastor for Internationals (retired) in the UALC community. I am married to Pam, father of four, and grandfather of six. Pam and I have lived twenty of our years in other countries including France, Cameroon, Haiti, and Morocco. In retirement, we continue to enjoy writing devotionals, learning languages, and teaching English to internationals.

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