Reflections on Sunrise at Sunset – August 21
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 137:1-6(7-9), 144; PM Psalm 104; 2 Samuel 23:1-7,13-17; Acts 25:13-27; Mark 13:1-13
I remember as a kid there were many times I would go to a window in my room and look out at the world around me. I would look out into the pecan trees and watch squirrels race up and down the limbs. I would look out and see our neighbor Steven mowing the grass, or tending the lovely gardens. I would look down to see what was growing on the ground just below, taking stock of perception and what can be seen from a second-story window. I would look up to the sky, remembering the nautical wisdom oft repeated in our house, “Red in the morning, sailors take warning; red at night, sailors delight.” I guess I still take a little time each morning to look out the window and behold the morning sky. It is almost as if looking around helps me begin the day with a new breath, a new perspective, and a grateful heart.
In 2 Samuel today, we are in the penultimate chapter of this book, and nearing the end of King David’s life. We have presented before us the “official” last words of David. I have read them and re-read them this morning. I feel a mixture of appreciation and sadness for David. He has lived this life of beauty, of battle, of betrayal, of loss. These last words are delivered from a different prospect than the shepherd boy or the valiant fighter. David is keenly aware of God’s movement in and influence upon his days, but his physical beauty is not a factor, as we often read from earlier in his life. His words are lyrical, yet they are not composed exactly as psalms (see this excerpt from 2 Samuel 22 for comparison). David begins like this:
The oracle of David, son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man whom God exalted,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the favorite of the Strong One of Israel:
The spirit of the Lord speaks through me,
his word is upon my tongue.
Continuing, David delivers wisdom from Yahweh that perhaps resonates with what he has gleaned from his own long-lived experience:
The God of Israel has spoken,
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
One who rules over people justly,
ruling in the fear of God,
is like the light of morning,
like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,
gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.
I imagine the aging king brings wisdom and gravitas in his final words, noting that these are the words God is telling him to say. The words pouring from David’s mouth surely ring in truth with his own life. When he led justly and centered upon God, beauty beamed forth from the land, “like the sun rising on a cloudless morning”. Dewdrops reflected the glory of the Lord in the shimmering light. Sitting with these words, I can feel the stillness and peace in this kingdom.
David closes with these three final verses, moving from speaking God’s word to his own insights:
Is not my house like this with God?
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
Will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?
But the [worthless] are all like thorns that are thrown away;
for they cannot be picked up with the hand;
to touch them one uses an iron bar
or the shaft of a spear.
And they are entirely consumed in fire on the spot.
As the king looks back on his life, he sees that on a high level, he lived and reigned like this hopeful image of sunrise. David knows that God was present with him, bringing growth and help in times of need. God has been a source of security for David’s strong house. David then makes a statement about those who live apart from God – called the godless in some translations, or the evil ones or the worthless in other versions of the Bible. David concludes that these people are prickly and problematic, prone to be involved in fights, and perhaps perish in fire.
Rather than pointing at others who were in this “sinner” category, I believe that David is attuned to how he was amid the worthless at times in his own life. He was pugilistic. He was a philanderer. He sent another man intentionally to his death. And yet, David confessed his sin. He repented and knew that there was great cost to be leveraged against him. Knowing all that, David could also point to when he was in concert with God. He could feel when he was living into the covenant with the Lord. He could see the beauty of the sunrise, knowing that the light of the morning was affirmation of his faithfulness to the living God.
Friends, as I sip fresh coffee on this Saturday morning, I pray that we may end up at the place that David did…seeing and speaking the truth. Knowing God’s work of empowerment and redemption in our lives. As such, let us live in awe and wonder of God, and order our lives accordingly.
Katherine+
Questions for Reflection
What moves you about a sunrise or a sunset?
What would you want your last words to be? How would they reflect what is important to you?
Daily Challenge
Take a moment to welcome the light of this morning. Name some of the beautiful gifts of God around you. Sit in prayer for several minutes, giving thanks to God. Ask for guidance about what aspects of your house need God’s handiwork and your attention. Write down what comes up for you. Prioritize and make a plan. Ask for God’s help, and that of others.