One of the ways we’re trying to make Heartland a bit more "hackable", a bit more Church 2.0, is by opening up the sermon preparation process to anyone interested.
This Sunday I’ll be giving a message with what I feel are some timely lessons from the life of David (the previous post reflects some of my thoughts). I’m going to be focusing on when Samuel anoints David king over Israel (1 Sam 16:1-13). Some of my thoughts so far:
- No person can prevent God from working his will in your life, so stop blaming others for holding you back (Jesse didn’t allow David to stand in line with the possibility of being anointed king, but that didn’t limit God)
- What looks like a pointless detour is often the place of training and preparation, so pay attention (taking care of sheep isn’t very kingly, but it prepared David to face Goliath)
- There is a difference between anointing and commissioning, so be patient (after David is anointed king, he presumably continues to live in Bethlehem and take care of sheep)
Any other thoughts or insights that go along with this? Don’t be shy 😉
Okay so this is going to sound dumb to some people, but I don’t care. I admit, I am quite girly about some things. One thing I have to do is sometimes find a story in any way similar to one in the bible about a man, and put it into “girl terms”. sheparding sheep? being anointed king? these things are so far from my understanding, that i’m in danger of having this scripture not even be meaningful to me. i don’t know if it’s easier for men, or if i’m just an extreme girly girl, but let me tell you how this clicked with me.
Cinderella.
Huh? Yes. It’s true! Here are my thougths on your thoughts
1 – she did not let her situation, or forced poverty stand in the way of her getting to that ball! she commissioned help and pulled herself together and made it there.
2- maybe she would not have had the beautiful heart that the prince fell in love with had she not gone through the suffering she did. it says in the beginning of the story she had everything she wanted – clothes, toys, servants, a horse etc, until the stepfamily came and stripped her of these things and made her even less than a servent. would she have just been another spoiled belle at the ball had she not been taken on this “detour” in her life? i think so.
3- Even when she makes it to the ball, and finds her prince, she still goes home and goes right back to work, and doesn’t try to reveal the truth. she just waits! how does she do that? she goes back to her mean family, bed of ashes, dirty clothes, and just waits. doesn’t say anything to anyone. and of course he comes, and she becomes a princess eventually.
it’s the waiting. how did he/she do it? our society is so immediate about everything. we’re so impatient, and isn’t it human nature to always want what we think is rightfully ours? what we “deserve”? what we have worked so hard to “earn”?
i agree that he would not have learned some things had he not waited. what more could i be learning if i made, or let myself have to wait for things? if i try to rush it, would i be wrecking something God is trying to orchestrate?
now that you’re done laughing….jk. i don’t care – it makes sense to me! 🙂
Kris, when I was explaining this idea to Deb, I actually mentioned to her I might show a clip from Cinderella! It must be having three little girls at home, but Cinderella’s situation seemed very similar to what I was wanting to talk about. It’s good to know I’m not the only crazy one out there. Thanks!
whew! i was seriously doubting myself after posting this – thanks! 🙂