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Monday, 30 November 2015

Lessons in morality

It may seem that David, King of Israel, was a flawed leader. It may seem that all leaders have moral weaknesses, and that none can be perfect. After all, we may think, they are only human, just like us. 

But where does that leave us?
In the pit of fallibility - weak, helpless, unforgiven - pawns in a game of life's ups and downs?

Or is there hope of redemption, reform, even salvation? Yes. Of course.

What if we were to see in all the battles fought by David and his cohorts, some parallels with the battles individuals come up against every day? What if David, instead of being simply a fine but flawed hero, typified "Everyman"? 

We too encounter the claims of evil, in the forms of sin, sickness, jealousy, pride, envy, lust, apathy, sloth, revenge, human will, death, and deception, all of which try to gain credibility by attaching themselves to people, places and things, as David found in his encounters with Saul, Goliath, Absolom, Abigail etc.  And we too, can sing with David (Ps 36: 7, 9 The Message, Eugene Peterson):

How exquisite your love, O God!
How eager we are to run under your wings,
You're a fountain of cascading light,
and you open our eyes to light.   

Or hear his prayer in II Sam 22: 21

God made my life complete
when I placed all the pieces before him.
When I cleaned up my act,
he gave me a fresh start.

Today, I was led to a wonderful 1971 Christian Science Lecture by Geith Plimmer, titled "The Healing of Moral Weakness". Here is the link for those interested. http://www.cslectures.org/Plimmer/Healing%20Moral%20Weakness-Plimmer.htm

What an interesting journey we have been on this month. I hope some of you will have had new insights into David and his times. 

Our reading for December will be chapters 10 to 20 of The First Church of Christ, Scientist and Miscellany by Mary Baker Eddy. 

Julie Swannell

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