That was a bit mean
by Shane Altmann
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Then David called one of the young men and said, ‘Come here and strike him down.’ So he struck him down, and he died (2 Samuel 1:15).
Read 2 Samuel 1:1–16
I feel like David wasn’t very fair to that bloke, the young man, the Amalekite, you know, the one he had killed for bringing him the crown and the armlet. The one who put Saul out of his misery and basically created the space for David to be king. That guy.
‘You what?’ says David, ‘You killed Saul! Right. Kill him.’
Hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on, woah, what about the …
Gone.
I mean, the guy was there, Saul was dying, he pleads for him to kill him, Saul’s having convulsions and can’t die, probably from falling on his own sword. It’s messy. The guy does him a favour and, instead of taking off, brings the tokens of office to David and calls him ‘my lord’. He had a right to feel aggrieved by the sense of injustice there in his last moments.
But not King David. You don’t mess with Davo and the Big Fella Upstairs. Saul was God’s anointed, and regardless of what he thought of Saul, David was a man after God’s own heart. He had his own opportunity to kill the treacherous and selfish king in a cave but didn’t – he wouldn’t harm the Lord’s anointed one (1 Samuel 24:6).
It wasn’t about Saul – it was about God.
But then there was the Bathsheba thing, and the murder of Uriah.
What is going on with David? Why did God favour him so much, when one minute David was writing beautiful psalms, the next minute killing someone, one minute dancing for the Lord, the next minute committing adultery? He claimed to love God, but it feels like he kept putting himself first. Why did God even bother with him …?
Wait! What?
Oh.
Right.
It’s not about David, it’s about God.
God searches the heart, a heart in which he installs the very faith itself that connects us to his grace. We are saved by grace through faith, Ephesians 2:8,9 reminds us of our complete reliance on God, ‘… and this is not from yourselves so that no-one can boast.’
It’s always God’s work. Even our faith is a gift from God.
Good God of Giving, Lord of Life, thank you for our faith. Thank you for being the source and foundation of all that is good in our lives and our relationship with you. Thank you for your redeeming love. Move your Holy Spirit in our hearts and through your church to bring us closer to you each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Shane Altmann is the principal of Faith Lutheran College Redlands in Queensland and has served in education for more than 35 years. Married to Monica and father of two children, Harry and Zoe, Shane has learnt that he is largely helpless without the love and support of the people with whom he lives and works. A pilgrim of multiple Caminos de Santiago, a Penrith Panthers tragic and a restorer of old stuff, Shane loves a project and, when he is able, fills his days tinkering with something.
And I’m starving
by Shane Altmann
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Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days (1 Samuel 31:13).
Read 1 Samuel 31:1–13
It’s about 3.30 in the afternoon. Our college here in Redlands, in bayside Brisbane, is quietening down as the last of the kids slowly wander out to their busy afternoons. Teachers are poking around, tidying up and chatting with each other. Some kids are doing sport training on the oval; office staff are industriously toiling away as they do. The afternoon is settling in.
And I am starving.
Somewhere in the distance, a car horn honks, busy school traffic starts to thin out, and vehicles start moving more freely again. The phone rings, and our receptionist takes a call from a mum whose kid lost their hat. Tradies wander past in their high-vis gear, finishing up from building works they have been doing on-site. The afternoon is settling in.
And I’m starving.
Some brave men sneak up to the wall of Beth-shan, take down Saul’s body, carry it home under the cover of darkness, burn it and bury the bones. Then they fast for seven days.
And I’m starving.
Wait! What? Seven days?
When you say seven days, you mean they just skipped breakfast or something, right? Or were the days shorter in biblical times? Perhaps seven Old Testament days are like two of our days.
It staggers me that people could fast for that long. God bless the disciplined. The hunger and the fatigue must be dreadful.
In 2 Corinthians 12:10, Paul reminds us, ‘That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weakness. In insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. When I am weak, then I am strong.’
When everything has been stripped away, when there is nothing left, when our metaphorical king is dead and hanging on our enemy’s wall, all we have is God. What great sustenance that is. Christ’s power is made perfect in weakness. This is the upside-down God we worship. The God who dies. The God who lives again.
Don’t get me wrong, we are not called to be ascetics, to practice extreme self-denial and live miserably to get close to Jesus. We are freed from such things and freed for a life that is full and abundant, a life of joy, hope and love.
But when it’s tough, when we face misery and mourning, hardship and trials, right there in that space is where God is close to us.
Where he carries us.
Jesus, you know what it is to suffer, to be fully human, to feel grief and loss, anxiety and sadness. Be close to all who suffer. Bring them comfort by your Holy Spirit and through the connection and care of those around them. Grow in us hearts of compassion and care for those we meet. Amen.
Shane Altmann is the principal of Faith Lutheran College Redlands in Queensland and has served in education for more than 35 years. Married to Monica and father of two children, Harry and Zoe, Shane has learnt that he is largely helpless without the love and support of the people with whom he lives and works. A pilgrim of multiple Caminos de Santiago, a Penrith Panthers tragic and a restorer of old stuff, Shane loves a project and, when he is able, fills his days tinkering with something.
It’s very Shakespeare
by Shane Altmann
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Then the woman said, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’ He answered, ‘Bring up Samuel for me’ (1 Samuel 28:11).
Read 1 Samuel 28:3–20
Buckle up. Things are about to get weird.
This passage in Samuel is all Hollywood and special effects. King Saul, bereft of hope, turns to a medium, a clairvoyant, a seer to get in touch with the spirit world, séance style. ‘I need to speak to the recently departed Samuel. Can you get him up for me?’
She screams; his ghostly form appears and delivers the awful truth to Saul. Time’s up!
It’s very Shakespeare.
I mean, Samuel’s ghost appears (at least to the medium)! And talks to Saul! It’s wild.
Where is God in this unholy business? What’s in this for us? Well, for a start, don’t dabble in that voodoo stuff; it generally doesn’t end well. Here endeth the lesson.
But I reckon we can dig a bit deeper here and see some patterns and glean some good about our great God of Love.
I am a firm believer that God is active in the world, in service of people, through the vocation of others and the temporal rhythm of the natural world, his creation. He can – and does – act supernaturally and miraculously, but generally, it is the ordinary stuff of daily life where God is found.
‘Truly you are a God who hides yourself!’ says Isaiah in chapter 45, verse 15. He heals the sick through the work of doctors, feeds us through the work of farmers and shopkeepers and protects us with police and armies. The list goes on. Believers and unbelievers alike are all instruments of God’s loving kindness towards people.
And I think that’s what’s happening here. God has a plan. He is moving Jesus towards us, Jesus of the line of David. So, we need David.
God hides his glory in the baby Jesus, in the humanity and ordinariness of the person of Jesus, behind the cross. But he is always for us, always graciously reaching down to us, relentlessly moving the story forward. So, the seer steps in, pronounces Saul’s doom via the ghost of Samuel. And on we roll.
God at work, even then, even now. God for us.
Lord of Life, thank you for always being for us. Thank you for not just creating us and then leaving us alone, but for being constantly and relentlessly at work in the world out of your great love for all people. Thank you, Jesus, that you do indeed give us this day our daily bread. Bless us as we live out our vocations as your light in the world. Amen.
Shane Altmann is the principal of Faith Lutheran College Redlands in Queensland and has served in education for more than 35 years. Married to Monica and father of two children, Harry and Zoe, Shane has learnt that he is largely helpless without the love and support of the people with whom he lives and works. A pilgrim of multiple Caminos de Santiago, a Penrith Panthers tragic and a restorer of old stuff, Shane loves a project and, when he is able, fills his days tinkering with something.
It’s always God’s work
by Shane Altmann
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
I fast twice a week: I give a tenth of my income (Luke 18:12).
Read Luke 18:9–14
This old classic. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. It rolls around every now and then to remind us good Christians that we should be humble and not get too far ahead of ourselves with our piety and righteousness. Be like the tax collector, not the Pharisee.
Check.
Except. Uh oh. When I’m like the tax collector, I’m actually being like the Pharisee, rather self-congratulatory about my humble approach to my reliance on God. ‘I’m glad I’m not like that Pharisee!’
Same, same.
Of our own accord, we are, of course, doomed. And that’s the point. It is always God’s work. Always. We are neither the Pharisee nor the tax collector; we are, at the same time, both.
Martin Luther coined the phrase ‘simul iustus et peccator’, meaning ‘at the same time both saint and sinner’. We are not just one or the other, sometimes this and sometimes that, but always both. Fully human, fully capable of great compassion for, and destruction of, ourselves and others. Lost and helpless. But covered, washed white as snow by the blood of the lamb. His work, his unmerited redeeming grace. I am reminded of the beautiful words of the song ‘I am covered over’: ‘When he looks at me, he sees not what I used to be, but he sees Jesus.’
It’s always God’s work.
Jesus’ words in the contrasting prayers of the parable guide us: ‘God, I …’ versus ‘God, be …’ Jesus reminds us to focus not on ourselves, our piety or our humility, but rather on him.
It is God – his work, his action towards us, only ever and always – that is the source of both our salvation and joy.
God of grace, thank you for reminding us again and again of your ever-present love through your word and by your Spirit. Thank you that even now, you are drawing close to your people, Immanuel, God with us. Amen.
Shane Altmann is the principal of Faith Lutheran College Redlands in Queensland and has served in education for more than 35 years. Married to Monica and father of two children, Harry and Zoe, Shane has learnt that he is largely helpless without the love and support of the people with whom he lives and works. A pilgrim of multiple Caminos de Santiago, a Penrith Panthers tragic and a restorer of old stuff, Shane loves a project and, when he is able, fills his days tinkering with something.
At home with God
by Faye Schmidt
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Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you (Psalm 84:4).
Read Psalm 84:1–7
Many consider Psalm 84 to be a poetic account of the experience of a pilgrim approaching the temple in Jerusalem for a religious festival.
But what makes going here so special or so different from anything else a person might do? The difference is that this is the dwelling place of the Lord Almighty (verse one). The realisation that God desires to dwell among mortals is as powerful for the psalmist and pilgrim as it would later be for John of Patmos (Revelation 21:3).
This Lord Almighty is also the living God (Psalm 84:2). Not only does all life come from this God, but living further characterises the one who is dynamic, at work and active among that which he has created. This God is not static and trapped in endless cycles of death and rebirth like some of the Canaanite deities. Only in Zion does the pilgrim find the one who can truly be called the ‘God of gods’ (verse seven).
So, the palpable excitement found in the psalm is not so much about going to the particular place, but more about who and what may be found there – the very presence of God. It is because of God’s presence that the psalmist may say, ‘Happy are those who live in your house’ (verse four).
But God is also found outside the temple. Verse six mentions travel through the valley of Baca. Baca is understood as a notoriously dry place. Therefore, it becomes striking that pilgrims might find springs there. In fact, the text says that they actually ‘make it a place of springs’.
The difference is the presence of God. Those who experience God’s real presence are brought into a new reality where a dry valley can yield springs and be covered with rain.
There are those special places and times in the life of faith where God’s presence may be found particularly intense. Believers need these anchors amid the seas of life. Regular worship at one’s home church and experiencing the sacraments are both ways of profoundly entering God’s presence and being uplifted and empowered by it. God’s presence may also be found, however, in the dry valleys and journeys of life where one may not expect to find God.
O gracious Father, the joy of a life surrendered to Christ’s service, may the peace of sin forgiven through the power of his cross be granted to me this day. Amen.
Faye Schmidt continues her diaconal calling through governance, having served on the Victoria–Tasmania District Church Board and the General Church Board, currently as chair of the Standing Committee on Constitutions and her congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide. Having lived and worked in many locations within Australia and overseas, Faye has a heart for the stranger and the newcomer. She is passionate about new ideas, learning from others and responding to needs.
Mercy
by Faye Schmidt
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When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today (1 Samuel 24:19).
Read 1 Samuel 24:1–22
‘I’ll give her a piece of my mind!’
‘It’s okay, no-one will ever know.’
‘This comment will really get them good.’
Thoughts of revenge, rationalisation or anger sound familiar? When we feel wronged or hurt, it does seem as though retaliating will make us feel better. We believe we are entitled to the last word. But even when wronged, God asks that we respond in a manner that shows we are different, in a way that brings glory to him.
God wants us to resist the urge to retaliate.
Saul was once close to David, but he eventually became jealous of David’s popularity with the people of Israel. Saul saw this popularity as a threat, and his jealousy grew into fear, so much so that he searched desperately for David in order to kill him. Eventually, Saul was delivered into David’s hands. With Saul in a vulnerable position and his men goading him on, David chose to exercise restraint, surrender to God and refrain from retaliating against Saul.
Society’s pressures often lead to compromised morals and the rationalisation that revenge will make us feel better. When we think our ‘enemy’ has been delivered into our hands, and we desperately want to right a wrong, God wants us to resist the urge to retaliate. Even though we were undeserving, God showed us grace and mercy. Doing the same will change our lives and the lives of our ‘enemies’. ‘But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8).
O Holy Spirit, so that I may not cause offence or hurt:
keep me chaste in thought;
keep me temperate and truthful in speech;
keep me faithful and diligent in my work;
keep me humble in my estimation of myself;
keep me honourable and generous in my dealings with others;
keep me mindful of my eternal destiny as your child.
Faye Schmidt continues her diaconal calling through governance, having served on the Victoria–Tasmania District Church Board and the General Church Board, currently as chair of the Standing Committee on Constitutions and her congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide. Having lived and worked in many locations within Australia and overseas, Faye has a heart for the stranger and the newcomer. She is passionate about new ideas, learning from others and responding to needs.
Friendship
by Faye Schmidt
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord’ (1 Samuel 20:42a).
Read 1 Samuel 20:24–42
The readings this week have introduced us to the jealousy of Saul, the loyalty of Jonathan and the mercy of David. Today, we recognise the friendship between David and Jonathan and how valuable a friendship can be.
In John 15:15, we read, ‘I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.’
Jesus called the disciples – and by extension, those believers who ‘abide’ in him (John 15:9,10) – his ‘friends’, as proven by communication. Jesus openly speaks with us through his word (John 15:7). That Christ instructs and informs us, beyond commands, as well as offering his life for our sake (John 15:13), are powerful proofs that he sees us as his ‘friends’.
This does not erase the idea that believers are ‘servants’ of Christ (Romans 1:1). Jesus is indicating that his intended relationship with believers involves communication and support, rather than simple dictatorship. This also supports the ‘vine and branches’ analogy Jesus used earlier in this passage (John 15:1–8). As God’s love and knowledge flow to Christ, Christ passes them down to us, just as a vine passes life along its branches. We, in turn, are meant to pass the word – and love – to other people (Matthew 28:19; John 13:34,35; John 14:15).
As the hymn states, ‘What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to him in prayer.’
O God my Father, who is often closest to me when I am farthest from you, and who is near at hand even when I feel that you have forgotten me, mercifully grant that I may grow more sure of your reality and power, and may I attain a clearer mind as to the meaning of my life on Earth. Amen.
Faye Schmidt continues her diaconal calling through governance, having served on the Victoria–Tasmania District Church Board and the General Church Board, currently as chair of the Standing Committee on Constitutions and her congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide. Having lived and worked in many locations within Australia and overseas, Faye has a heart for the stranger and the newcomer. She is passionate about new ideas, learning from others and responding to needs.
Competing loyalties
by Faye Schmidt
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ‘May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.’ And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself (1 Samuel 20:16,17).
Read 1 Samuel 20:1–23
The problem with loyalty is that everyone has their own definition of it. At some point, we will find ourselves in the painful position where being loyal to one person makes us feel like a betrayer to another.
Chapter 20 of 1 Samuel provides a guideline for when we must make a decision.
Simply put, to be loyal is to honour our commitment even if it is more beneficial for us to break it. An honourable person ‘keeps [their] oath even when it hurts’ (Psalm 15:4).
Unfortunately, many understand loyalty to be an unwavering commitment to someone’s personal agenda. When loyalty is defined in this way, the guidelines vary, and confusion and strife are sure to emerge.
King Saul’s misperception of loyalty created a horrible situation for his son Jonathan. Jonathan, the heir to Saul’s throne, swore an oath of protection to his friend David. Unfortunately, Saul felt threatened by David and was enraged that Jonathan would not help him find and kill David. Jonathan was faced with navigating the painful process of competing loyalties.
Jonathan deeply loved both his father and David, but he knew his primary loyalty was to God. He couldn’t assist his father in a personal vendetta motivated by insecurity and pride. David did nothing deserving of death. The choice was clear.
When we feel trapped by competing loyalties, the only way to make the right choice is to remember that our primary loyalty is to God, and that our hearts are to be ‘fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands’ (1 Kings 8:61).
And what is God’s command? ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another’ (John 13:34).
Heavenly Father, who has been the hope and joy of many generations, and who has given us the power to seek you throughout all ages, I pray that you grant me a clearer vision of your truth, a greater faith in your power and a more confident assurance of your love. Amen.
Faye Schmidt continues her diaconal calling through governance, having served on the Victoria–Tasmania District Church Board and the General Church Board, currently as chair of the Standing Committee on Constitutions and her congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide. Having lived and worked in many locations within Australia and overseas, Faye has a heart for the stranger and the newcomer. She is passionate about new ideas, learning from others and responding to needs.
How God comes to you through others.
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped (1 Samuel 19:12).
Read 1 Samuel 19:1–18
Our text tells the story of a man with a serious lifestyle problem. Saul was jealous and unable to control his emotions – to the point of intending to kill David … more than once. The more David served and brought benefit to the king, the more the king despised him. Sometimes, the consequences of our actions aren’t logical. We do what we think is right, only to suffer because of it. David needed help.
First, the king’s son, Jonathan, intervened with his father and tried to reason with the murderous king. For a moment, in 1 Samuel 19:6, Saul relented, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.’
Soon, another war called David to fight for his king. David performed so well in battle that Saul returned to his jealousy and tried to kill David (1 Samuel 19:10). So, David’s wife, Michal, intervened, and David escaped.
David was doing the right thing, but he was getting nowhere with the king. He needed help. God stepped in through Jonathan, then Michal and then through his own Spirit. Likewise, God steps in for us in the form of family, friends and others who care about us.
When you need help, who do you go to? Is there someone within your family like Michal, or do you have a friend like Jonathan?
One thing is certain – we all need help in times of need, and we should never forget that there is one who gave his life so that he would be our advocate before God.
Heavenly Father, I commend to your holy keeping: all who are far from home and family; all who are homeless and hungry; all who suffer pain; all
who are kept awake by anxiety or suspense. Give them all such a sense of your presence with them as may turn their loneliness into comfort
and their trouble into peace. Amen.
Faye Schmidt continues her diaconal calling through governance, having served on the Victoria–Tasmania District Church Board and the General Church Board, currently as chair of the Standing Committee on Constitutions and her congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide. Having lived and worked in many locations within Australia and overseas, Faye has a heart for the stranger and the newcomer. She is passionate about new ideas, learning from others and responding to needs.