So, yesterday, I’m reading.
If you’ve been here long enough, you know what an infatuation I have with David. OK … wait that didn’t sound right.
Rephrase.
You know what an infatuation I have with the relationship David had with God.
So passionate. So real.
I can’t seem to tear myself away from, not only David’s life, but the life of his son, Solomon.
(Actually, I just finished a Bible study covering “Song of Solomon,” but that’s definitely a whole other post that will probably never get written. It might be inappropriate. Just go read the book. Enough said.)
I was reading I Kings 9 yesterday and came across this verse, best interpreted by The Message:
(God talking to Solomon here) “As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I’ve set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments, then I’ll back your kingly rule over Israel, make it a sure thing on a solid foundation. The same guarantee I gave David your father I’m giving you: ‘You can count on always having a descendant on Israel’s throne.'”
Cool, huh?
God’s love for David transcended his own lifetime. Just because Solomon was related to David, he’s going to get the blessing.
Here’s the thing … it wasn’t a surprise to God that Solomon was going to choose to disobey His rules about not worshiping other gods, keeping people around that he was supposed to destroy, and so on. God knew that was gong to happen, yet throughout this chapter, God continues to bless him.
It’s what I tell my girls all the time: Obedience = Blessings. It’s so black and white. Disobedience = Non-Blessings or Consequences.
Even knowing this, we STILL choose disobedience so many times.
And, then, when we humble ourselves before God, His grace covers all and He blesses us even when we don’t deserve it. ‘Cause really we never deserve it.
Then I read this from “The Quotable Lewis”:
(See if you can wrap your brain around it.)
“God is outside and above the Time-Line. In that case, what we call “tomorrow” is visible to Him in just the same way as what we call “today.”
(OK, I got that part … today and tomorrow are the same thing for God.)
“All the days are “now” for Him. He does not remember you doing things yesterday; He simply sees you doing because, though you have lost yesterday, He has not.”
(Uh … everything’s now for God. Yesterday is over for us, but not for Him. That’s kinda scary.)
“He does not “forsee” you doing things tomorrow; He simply sees you doing them: because, though tomorrow is not yet here for you, it is for Him.”
(The future is already now for God.)
“You must never suppose that your actions this moment are any less free because God know what you are doing.”
(Duh.)
My brain hurts a little.
What I got from all that is our actions are part of who we are and how God sees us … yesterday, today, tomorrow … doesn’t matter.
But, it’s not only our actions, it’s the motives therein.
God looks at me and sees my entire life, not this sin or that one, or that one time I wasn’t selfish or the time I truly worshiped Him the way He desires.
He sees it all at one time.
Wow. Too much for this little ‘ol mind to comprehend.
I could actually be totally off the mark here. Told you I wasn’t that smart.
But, I am becoming an expert in non-invasive plastic surgery options. I’ll save that for another post too.
Ooo – love the idea of non-invasive plastic surgery. Me and my 4 chins (and 6 tummy rolls)…we're looking forward to that post 😉
God and time. Yeah. Makes my brain hurt too.
It's funny – God created this physical world of ours, so it makes sense that He can work outside of it's boundaries. Our physical laws dictate our lives here on earth, but they just flat out don't apply to him. Gravity? No problem for him. A solid wall? He'll walk right through. Death? No worries. He can be in all places at all times. All of that…easy for me to "get".
And then there's the time thing. Time is also a physical law – in science, time is referred to as the "4th dimension" (up-down, forward-back, side to side are the other 3 dimensions). So why is it so hard for my brain to grasp the concept of God being outside of time? It's a tough one, but I always feel like if I could just GET IT, I'd be able to so much better understand God.
A friend once described it to me like this: time is like a parade, and God is in a blimp way up high in the sky. We sit on the curb and watch time (the parade) march by one little piece at a time. God, on the other hand, it high enough…removed enough…that he can see the entire thing with one glance. This description has its flaws, but it helps me a little.
A very little.
I also love the part in the bible where God says "Before Abraham was, I AM."
He wasn't.
He won't be.
He just always…IS.
Ugh. My brain hurts too now 🙂
It is confusing isn't it? I can't understand it, but one thing I do know. "He's God and I'm not". And as long as I remember that, then I don't really have to understand. I just have to lean on Him! -Cathy
My brain is munching the food you've offered! It'll take a while to digest this; in fact, I may not be able to digest some of it at all. I'm picturing myself as a cow — chewing my cud, swallowing, bringing cud up again, chewing, swallowing, (repeat as necessary). Yeah; there are some things of God that I may never fully get. But the most important thing — that Christ died for me and that He loves me beyond my comprehension — that I do get. And so, that's all I really need to get! Do you get it???
I too love that God shared so much of David and His relationship with him. It's hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that there is nothing we can do that is SO bad that He turns His love from us.
Good stuff lady. 🙂
Wow. That is some deep stuff. Good, though. And it always encourages me to know that despite David's failures (and he had some BIG ones, am I right?) God still called him a man after God's own heart. There is hope for me yet!