Villagersonline : blogs : stevek : 2 Samuel 16 - 19
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From: stevek
Date: Sun Dec 14 13:55:54 MST 2003 Subject: 2 Samuel 16 - 19

Praise God for how He speaks through Scripture. Two weeks ago I thought I had put to rest chapters 15 through 19 of second Samuel. Then, last week the issue of service in the body came back from chapter 18. Today the story of Shimei, David and Abishai is not just speaking, but shouting an urgert message to me for our body. The story is in chapter 16:5-13, and chapter 19:16-23. David has just been ousted by his own son and as he is walking away from his throne Shimei sees him, curses him, hurls lies at him and begins to throw stones at him. Abishai is David's bodyguard/a bloodthirsty man. He nearly begs David to allow him to go and kill Shimei. David stops him, saying that it may be that the Lord had enlisted Shimei to do and say what he was saying. He left vengence to God to take care of. Then in chapter 19, David is restored to his rightful throne and Shimei comes begging forgiveness. Again, Abishai wants to take him out but David stops him.
Yesterday, I shared in a venting session with two brothers from the village regarding how we are being treated by the 'host' church who owns the building in which we worship. The brothers haven't given me permission to share who they are, so they'll remain nameless for my purpose here. I can say that we all sounded pretty fleshy in the ways we were suggesting that we respond. And then the Lord recalled to mind how David responded to insult, lies and abuse. He forgave. David didn't run to Shimei and ask to restore a friendship, go to coffee together and become buddies. But he demonstrated forgiveness by his actions in saving his life when Abishai wanted to kill him. Jesus tells a parable about a man who had a great debt which was forgiven - the man then went out and demanded repayment of a small debt from someone who owed him. The first debt was then reinstated. Jesus teaches in His model prayer that we are to forgive, as we have been forgiven. While He was being crucified, Jesus forgave. Guess what. It's a building. And while moving is an inconvenience, and probably a breach of an agreement under which we have been operating - and the putative reason for the breach is probably not fully the truth, we haven't been crucified. And Jesus forgave. And He forgave our hosts. And He has forgiven us each a great debt. We are taught by Paul in 1 Corinthians that sometimes it is better to simply suffer the loss. We are taught by Jesus in Matthew 5-7 to offer the other cheek, and to forgive those who do us harm - not just those with whom we walk in fellowship. When the pharisees were considering what to do with the little rag-tag group who called themselves The Way, one of their rabbis spoke up and said that if the group was not of God, they would fade away. But, if it was God's plan for them to continue, nothing the legalists could do could thwart His soverign will.
If this sounds vauge, it's because I am not in a leadership position and have not been released to share details of our present relationship with Bethel church/at least the very few of which I am aware. If I tried to I would more than likely leave a wrong impression. With that I would be doing all parties a disservice. I'm sure that Rod and Eric will share with us what we need to know as thing progress, but I won't ursurp that authority. For here it is safe to share what is common knowledge - they would prefer to have us move. My point here is that during the course of them exercising that preference, and the resulting impact it will inevitably have on our body, we need to bless them and to pray for their body to prosper if that be God's will - to show/walk in forgiveness and to be Christ to them. We have been offered much more from Jesus than what that act on our part will constitute. Let His kingdom come upon each of us as we show that He is alive in us, and that forgiveness is not simply something we see in David - and the Lord - but that it is a fruit of our own individual walks. Theology discussions are envigorating. Doing worship is revitalizing. Hearing the Word is life enhancing. But consider Luke 6:49 - Jesus says "the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built his house on ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent strikes that house, it will fall." Rejoice, again he says Rejoice/consider it all pure joy - we study it and we sing it. Let's put it into practice. God has a plan for the village - if it's to end, nothing we can do will stop that. If it's to prosper, nothing the pharisees in Bethel can do will stop it. In either case, let's walk in forgiveness of them, for they know not what they're doing. God's will is soverign.

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