Today's readings are 1 Kings 1.1-4, 15-35 and 1 Corinthians 12.14-31.
Today we see signs of confusion in the royal household of Israel. David, the old and enfeebled king, has made it clear to some that Solomon was to succeed him. However, Adonijah, an older son of David, has asserted himself as the king. We will see that this conflict between David's children leads to severe turmoil within the nation.
What we do or do not do as leaders has an influence on many other people. Our clarity of instructions, our effective delegation of authority, our clear statement and follow-through of our philosophy and desires is valuable in ways we can't begin to imagine. Granted, most of us are not in a position to spark off a civil war by accident. Yet most of us are in the position to cause confusion and disorder on some level.
What is our calling as leaders of our homes and families? What is our calling as people who have certain responsibilities in the work place? What is our calling as citizens in a well-ordered society? How do we do our work in civic organizations and in neighborly relationships within our community? How we care for our responsibilities has an influence on many people around us, both those we know and those we don't know.
In all things, we are reminded that God is not a God of confusion, but a God of order. What we do in worship is, according to 1 Corinthians 14, to be done decently and in order. But doing things decently and in order does not end there. We carry ourselves in the same way wherever we are, whatever we are doing. In this way we reflect the character of the Lord who has created us in His image. In this way we redeem our time and our relationships, knowing the Lord Jesus who has redeemed our life.
What if, like David, we find out our inadequacy has set up a situation that will be harmful? May the Lord grant us repentance and forgiveness, then give us the courage to do what we can to repair the damage we have inflicted.
Today we see signs of confusion in the royal household of Israel. David, the old and enfeebled king, has made it clear to some that Solomon was to succeed him. However, Adonijah, an older son of David, has asserted himself as the king. We will see that this conflict between David's children leads to severe turmoil within the nation.
What we do or do not do as leaders has an influence on many other people. Our clarity of instructions, our effective delegation of authority, our clear statement and follow-through of our philosophy and desires is valuable in ways we can't begin to imagine. Granted, most of us are not in a position to spark off a civil war by accident. Yet most of us are in the position to cause confusion and disorder on some level.
What is our calling as leaders of our homes and families? What is our calling as people who have certain responsibilities in the work place? What is our calling as citizens in a well-ordered society? How do we do our work in civic organizations and in neighborly relationships within our community? How we care for our responsibilities has an influence on many people around us, both those we know and those we don't know.
In all things, we are reminded that God is not a God of confusion, but a God of order. What we do in worship is, according to 1 Corinthians 14, to be done decently and in order. But doing things decently and in order does not end there. We carry ourselves in the same way wherever we are, whatever we are doing. In this way we reflect the character of the Lord who has created us in His image. In this way we redeem our time and our relationships, knowing the Lord Jesus who has redeemed our life.
What if, like David, we find out our inadequacy has set up a situation that will be harmful? May the Lord grant us repentance and forgiveness, then give us the courage to do what we can to repair the damage we have inflicted.
--
Dave Spotts
blogging at http://capnsaltyslongvoyage.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment