resuming

At some point, depending on what one has met or is still encountering in life, one hopes to resume life as it was "before." It never quite happens, does it, and that if only because every encounter is and has been a new "two roads diverged in a yellow wood" in the full sense of Robert Frost, and the encounter itself changes us and our lives ahead, and we cannot go back and take another road. For all that happened beyond our wishing, here in our family, fully conscious of unthinkable unspeakable other roads, we are thankful to be where we are this Fathers Day morning, even changed as we are and cannot go back.

Resuming for me would, does, mean looking at the text for today and, seeing it's not my day to preach, contemplating what to discuss in adult Sunday School. Four great scriptures as always. Y'Vah (pronounce it as you will) is unhappy with Saul, and Samuel is sad about that but does as directed, anointing David king in Saul's place. Biblically there was a formula for making the king: Y'Vah chooses the man, the prophet anoints him king, and the people acclaim him. Today's OT lesson doesn't get to the people's acclamation, but for David it will come in Time, Judea, then Israel. 

The psalm is perfect, not only in response to the OT lesson as intended, but in our lives. It's copy and paste below, read it and agree!

Paul to the Corinthians (from 2 Corinthians 5) seems a little threatening when Paul reminds that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ for recompense regarding what we have done or left undone. At least for me in my life it's as much threat as promise, I don't know about you.

In Mark 4 Jesus is likening the kingdom of God (Matthew calls it the kingdom of heaven) to planting seeds and look all what comes of it. From our family point of view this morning, may it be that our Spring 2018 encounters, or close encounters, serve in some way as seeds to help many see Jesus, or at least to look back in years to come and recall having seen Jesus in us and themselves come to Christ.

Here's this morning psalm, written to be sung in worship, a chanted prayer for David the king, but take it personally if you will, and then Let us bless the Lord.

Psalm 20 Exaudiat te Dominus

1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble, * the Name of the God of Jacob defend you;

2 Send you help from his holy place * and strengthen you out of Zion;

3 Remember all your offerings * and accept your burnt sacrifice;

4 Grant you your heart's desire * and prosper all your plans.

5 We will shout for joy at your victory
and triumph in the Name of our God; * may the Lord grant all your requests.

6 Now I know that the Lord gives victory to his anointed; * he will answer him out of his holy heaven, with the victorious strength of his right hand.

7 Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, * but we will call upon the Name of the Lord our God.

8 They collapse and fall down, * but we will arise and stand upright.

9 O Lord, give victory to the king * and answer us when we call.

T