(Homily prepared for PLU Chapel, October 21, 2013)
Text: 1
Samuel 23:15-18
When I heard that your theme in Chapel this month for "The Journey" is "Better Together" I knew that I wanted to share this amazing relationship between David and Saul's son, Jonathan. Of
all the heroes of the Old Testament, Jonathan is probably one of the less
known, and yet one of the most noble, upright, and faithful characters in all
of the Old Testament. I'm not exaggerating.
Before he
ever met David, Jonathan alone trusted God’s advice and defeated a whole
Philistine garrison by himself (1 Sam. 14:6-15). Jonathan had guts; but his
guts came from one simple source: faith. Jonathan trusted his life, he trusted
his friends, even his life and his nation in God's hands.
As the Bible
tells it, Jonathan first met David just after David had killed Goliath. Few
people knew that the prophet Samuel had already anointed David to be the next
king of Israel. All Jonathan knew at that time is that he immediately liked
this young shepherd boy, loved him like a brother (1 Sam. 18:1).
1 Samuel 18,
verse 3, says that: "Jonathan made a covenant with David." To seal that
covenant, Jonathan gave David his robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt. He dressed
David in his clothes, into his life and place. By all human right of succession
Jonathan was in line to be the next king of Israel, but here he was already
bringing David into his father's house, dressing him in his princely clothes
and weapons, and pledging his loyalty to David.
King Saul
would get jealous of David. Several times Saul tried to kill him, chased David
into exile, but Jonathan kept his covenant and promise to David, even when it
became clear that it meant he would have to give his crown to David.
So, later,
when David was in exile, afraid, demoralized, there is this powerful scene in
today’s lesson, 1 Samuel 23 -
"...David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh, and (verse 16) Jonathan,
Saul's son, rose and went to David at Horesh and strengthened David’s hand in
the LORD."
That's it,
right there. For me it’s one of the most powerful images I've ever meditated
on. Jonathan went to David, found him in
his wilderness, and "strengthened his hand in the LORD."
In what
wildernesses do we find ourselves, that we might need someone to figuratively,
or even actually grab hold of our hand and strengthen it in the LORD? How might
you strengthen some one's hand in the LORD?
I've
experienced it personally. My wife is amazing at this, at turning me around,
and reminding me of my own faith in God, my own words, and her confidence in
our ministry, direction, purpose and mission. Every time, all the time, God keeps sending
people to me that remind me of all the aces I hold in my hand: grace,
forgiveness, salvation, faith and hope. But
also professional and spiritual counselors, fellow pastors, my friends. Heck
even my dog, Shyla, seems to know exactly when my hand or face needs a good
tongue washing.
I pray this
for you, especially if you are struggling, after a death, or a break up, or
guilt, exhaustion, or indecision, to send someone, or to let someone else strengthen
your hand, to hold it, and lift it. When we grab hold and pray together, or
when we send an uplifting text, when we worship and sing together, this is
strengthening each other's hands, just as Jonathan did for David.
I want that
kind of strengthening in the LORD for all of you from each other. Even more
than from this message today, I pray you get it from each other. Or that you
find ways to offer it… today and the next few days.
My
congregation hears me say this a lot: God didn't make us just to save us. We
are here for purpose. The fact that we are saved by grace frees us for that
purpose - since we’re okay ultimately
and eternally, we can take care of each other, to look out for others, to
strengthen each other's hand in the LORD.
There's an
old native proverb that says: when the toe has a thorn in it, the whole body
has to stoop to pluck it out. Or, better yet, as Captain Kirk once told Spock
in one of the older Star Trek movies: "Sometimes the need of the one or
the few, outweighs the needs of the many."
On any given day,
we are not necessarily here because you or I need something, but because, on
any given day, there is someone who needs us to be there for her, or him, to sing,
or pray, or study, or live or hope, or to see the light at the end of their
tunnel. We are here to strengthen each other's hands in the Lord. Let’s
see whether God will keep his promises. I have a very strong suspicion that he
will not let any down! In the meantime, if you need help now , please find it,
and reach out to someone. God has already reached for you.
