The Daily: Thursday June 6, 2024

Daily Lectionary Reading: Psalm 130 (NRSV, The Message); 1 Samuel 4:1-22 (NRSV, The Message); 1 Peter 4:7-19 (NRSV, The Message)

The ark of God was captured...
1 Samuel 4:11 (NRSV)
For the ancient Hebrews, the ark of the covenant, or ark of God as described here, was the residing place of the presence of God in midst of the people (see Raiders of the Lost Ark or, maybe, the Bible). It was placed in the holy of holies, where only the priest was allowed entry at certain times of the year, in the tabernacle.

Of course, the problem with putting God in a box is that box can be easily stolen or manipulated. In this case, the Philistines, after some initial fear, said "Hey, we'll just take their God!" I know and love so many Christians in the past few years who have woken up to their God-box being stolen or twisted beyong recognition by those who would make the Philistines look like the Peace Corps. What are we to do?

Maybe we as Christians could take a note or two from our Jewish siblings. Their understanding of God, God's presence, and their relationship to the Divine exanded and evolved. For them God no longer lived in a box or building. When the empire (in this case, the Roman variety) destroyed their temple (ummm, sound familiar?), they came to understand and live into the reality that God was no longer confined to human-made walls.

Our God is an awesome God - the Ground of All Being. They are  far larger than any words or ideas, or dogma or doctine. And They certainly won't be contained by any empire or political system. That is the God I want to know. That is the God I AM a facet of - and you are too!

No Comments


Recent

Archive

 2024

Categories

Tags

1 Corinthians 11 1 Corinthians 12 1 Corinthians 9 1 Kings 15 1 Kings 5 1 Samuel 13 1 Samuel 14 1 Samuel 15 1 Samuel 16 1 Samuel 17 1 Samuel 18 1 Samuel 19 1 Samuel 20 1 Samuel 23 1 Samuel 31 1 Samuel 5 1 Samuel 6 1 Samuel 8 1 Samuel 9 1 Thessalonians 2 Kings 2 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 2 2 Samuel 3 2 Samuel 5 Acts 10 Acts 11 Acts 1 Amos 3 Ark of the Covenant Belief Blessing Christ the King Compassion Cynthia Bourgeault DUO Daily Lectionary Daily RCL David Day of the Lord Deuteronomy 11 Deuteronomy 34 Diversity Easter Ecstacy Ephesians 5 Esther Exodus 24 Ezekiel 36 Ezekiel 37 Faith Feeding of 5000 Fifth Sunday in Lent Friday Before Palm Sunday Friday Before Proper 10 Friday Before Proper 5 Friday Before Proper 6 Friday Before Proper 7 Friday Before Proper 8 Friday Before Proper 9 Friday Before Reign of Christ Friday Before the Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany Friday Before the Fifth Sunday of Lent Friday Before the First Sunday of Advent Friday Before the Second Sunday of Advent Friday Before the Second Sunday of Lent Friday Before the Seventh Sunday of Easter Friday Before the Sixth Sunday of Easter Galatians 5 Genesis 11 Genesis 12 Genesis Gratitude HOmesexuality Homosexuality Hosea Inclusion Isaiah 32 Isaiah 42 Isaiah 59 Isaiah Israel Jeremiah Jesus John 6 John Jonathan Joshua 23 Judah Justice Love Luke 1 Luke 21 Luke 57 Luke Malachi 2 Mark 16 Mark 6 Mark 9 Mark Matthew 16 Matthew Mental Health Micah 4 Monday After PRoper 23 Monday After Proper 14 Monday After Proper 16 Monday After Proper 5 Monday After Proper 6 Monday After Proper 7 Monday After Proper 8 Monday After Proper 9 Monday After Third Sunday of Advent Monday After the Day of Pentecost Monday After the Fifth Sunday in Lent Monday After the Fifth Sunday of Lent Monday After the First Sunday of Advent Monday After the Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany Monday After the Second Sunday of Advent Monday After the Sixth Sunday of Easter Mysticism Numbers 8 Palestine Philippians 4 Praise Pride Proper 13 Proper 6 Proper 7 Proper 8 Proper 9 Psalm 7 Psalm 8 Psalm 95 Reign of Christ Resurrection Samuel Saturday Before Christ the King Sunday Saturday Before Palm Sunday Saturday Before Proper 10 Saturday Before Proper 13 Saturday Before Proper 5 Saturday Before Proper 6 Saturday Before Proper 8 Saturday Before Proper 9 Saturday Before the Second Sunday of Advent Saturday Before the Seventh Sunday of Easter Saturday Before the Sixthe Sunday of Easter Saul Sixth Sunday of Easter Solomon Thanksgiving The Ascension of the Lorf Thomas Keating Thursday Befor the Sixth Sunday Of Easter Thursday Before Proper 10 Thursday Before Proper 13 Thursday Before Proper 5 Thursday Before Proper 7 Thursday Before Proper 9 Thursday Before The Fifth Sunday of Lent Thursday Before the First Sunday of Advent Thursday Before the Second Sunday of Advent Titus 1 Tuesday After PRoper 23 Tuesday After Proper 12 Tuesday After Proper 5 Tuesday After Proper 6 Tuesday After Proper 7 Tuesday After Proper 8 Tuesday After Proper 9 Tuesday After Reign of Christ Tuesday After The Day of Pentecost Tuesday After the Fifth Sunday in Lent Tuesday After the Fifth Sunday of Easter Tuesday After the Second Sunday of Lent Tuesday After the Seventh Sunday of Easter Tuesday After the Sixth Sunday of Easter Tuesday After the Third Sunday of Easter UCC Wandering Heart Wandering Heat War Wedensday After Pentecost Wedensday After the Fifth Sunday or Easter Wedensday After the Third Sunday of Easter Wednesday After Christ the King Wednesday After Proper 12 Wednesday After Proper 23 Wednesday After Proper 4 Wednesday After Proper 5 Wednesday After Proper 6 Wednesday After Proper 7 Wednesday After Proper 8 Wednesday After the Fifth Sunday in Advent Wednesday After the Fourth Sunday After Epiphany Wednesday After the Fourth Sunday of Lent Wednesday After the Second Sunday of Advent Wednesday After the Sixth Sunday of Easter Welcoming Prayer Worship Year A Year B Zechariah nonhierarchical