Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said "Look, we are your bone and flesh."
--2 Samuel 5:1
Someone has said that "Religion is for those who are afraid of hell; spirituality is for those who have already been there." When it comes to spirituality, we appear to be living in a golden age. There is a yearning to somehow rise above the old, established, traditional norms and find a spirituality that is tailor-made for the individual. Spending a whole lot of time rehashing the past is no good. The future isn't here yet, so there is no need to worry. The big thing is what's happening now. Christianity is at its best when it undergirds, supports, and enables such thinking.
With that background, our short snippet of Scripture has to be a disappointment. It's so historial, earthly, fleshly, and even political. David, the shepherd-boy, is a grown-up man. He is anointed king over Israel. The period of his reign -- Israel and Judah combined -- is forty years.
Can you note how unspiritual this seems to be? At first glance, it's a chunk dry history -- and such history comes off rather boring. But if we are disciples of our Lord, history isn't just an academic topic for those who need credit. Rather, it's our story. Jesus Christ, our crucified and risen Savior, was in the family tree of David. He was born in Bethlehem, the city of David.
With an amazement and a curiosity born of faith, we turn back to those great stories of old in the Bible. We discover anew that we are not isolated spiritual beings hovering in the present. We are part of a history and reality that occupies the ground.
PD
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