July 6, 2021

Grace Runs Down

Rosalind C. Hughes | Read 2 Samuel 6:1-19

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2 Samuel 6:1-19

¹ Once again David assembled the select warriors of Israel, thirty thousand strong. ² David and all the troops who were with him set out for Baalah, which is Kiriath-jearim of Judah, to bring God’s chest up from there—the chest that is called by the name of the LORD of heavenly forces, who sits enthroned on the winged creatures. ³ They loaded God’s chest on a new cart and carried it from Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were driving the new cart. ⁴ Uzzah was beside God’s chest while Ahio was walking in front of it. ⁵ Meanwhile, David and the entire house of Israel celebrated in the LORD’s presence with all their strength, with songs, zithers, harps, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals. ⁶ When they approached Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to God’s chest and grabbed it because the oxen had stumbled. ⁷ The LORD became angry at Uzzah, and God struck him there because of his mistake, and he died there next to God’s chest. ⁸ Then David got angry because the LORD’s anger lashed out against Uzzah, and so that place is called Perez-uzzah today. ⁹ David was frightened by the LORD that day. “How will I ever bring the LORD’s chest to me?” he asked. ¹⁰ So David didn’t take the chest away with him to David’s City. Instead, he had it put in the house of Obed-edom, who was from Gath. ¹¹ The LORD’s chest stayed with Obed-edom’s household in Gath for three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom’s household and all that he had. ¹² King David was told, “The LORD has blessed Obed-edom’s family and everything he has because of God’s chest being there.” So David went and brought God’s chest up from Obed-edom’s house to David’s City with celebration. ¹³ Whenever those bearing the chest advanced six steps, David sacrificed an ox and a fatling calf. ¹⁴ David, dressed in a linen priestly vest, danced with all his strength before the LORD. ¹⁵ This is how David and the entire house of Israel brought up the LORD’s chest with shouts and trumpet blasts. ¹⁶ As the LORD’s chest entered David’s City, Saul’s daughter Michal was watching from a window. She saw King David jumping and dancing before the LORD, and she lost all respect for him. ¹⁷ The LORD’s chest was brought in and put in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered entirely burned offerings in the LORD’s presence in addition to well-being sacrifices. ¹⁸ When David finished offering the entirely burned offerings and the well-being sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of heavenly forces. ¹⁹ He distributed food among all the people of Israel—to the whole crowd, male and female—each receiving a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. Then all the people went back to their homes.

Sometimes when the lectionary skips a few verses, they hold arcane detail unlikely to illuminate any but the most dedicated archaeologists of the Bible. Other times, they reveal uncomfortable information that would interfere with the simple, smooth story that we prefer to tell. In this week’s passage from Second Samuel 6, the lectioneers jump from verse 5 to the end of verse 12, omitting a telling lesson from the triumphant tale of the ark’s journey to Jerusalem.

On the way from Baal-judah to the city of David, the ark is jolted into the barn at Nacon for an overnight stay. Uzzah reaches out to steady it. But somewhere between the stumbling and steadying, Uzzah falls down and dies. His death is interpreted as an act of God. David is suddenly overcome with fear of his responsibility to take care of God’s covenant with the people. He sends the seat of holiness to stay in the house of a foreigner, letting him bear the risk of God’s favor.

When we let others take the risks of love instead of investing ourselves, we also disinvest from the interest love accrues.

After three months, David hears that Obed-edom’s household has been blessed by the presence of the ark, so David resumes his rejoicing and brings the ark up to the city. He offers sacrifice every six steps, to be safe. He dances his heart out in praise. He blesses the people and shares the bounty, inviting them into and implicating them in the covenant of God.

Underneath his royal trappings, David was afraid to grasp the covenant that God offered him. But he tried, shedding the armor of fear, the costume of finery, the disguise of status, stripping down to the bare essentials, just as the boy once had before the giant Goliath, as he danced and prayed his way toward Zion.

Gracious God, fear of you is only the beginning of wisdom; perfect love dissolves fear. Help me to shed the falsehoods that fear tells me. Show me how to bare my soul to you, trusting your affection. Amen.

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Read Mark 6:14-29

Mark 6:14-29

¹⁴ Herod the king heard about these things, because the name of Jesus had become well-known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and this is why miraculous powers are at work through him.” ¹⁵ Others were saying, “He is Elijah.” Still others were saying, “He is a prophet like one of the ancient prophets.” ¹⁶ But when Herod heard these rumors, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised to life.” ¹⁷ He said this because Herod himself had arranged to have John arrested and put in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Herod’s brother Philip. Herod had married her, ¹⁸ but John told Herod, “It’s against the law for you to marry your brother’s wife!” ¹⁹ So Herodias had it in for John. She wanted to kill him, but she couldn’t. ²⁰ This was because Herod respected John. He regarded him as a righteous and holy person, so he protected him. John’s words greatly confused Herod, yet he enjoyed listening to him. ²¹ Finally, the time was right. It was on one of Herod’s birthdays, when he had prepared a feast for his high-ranking officials and military officers and Galilee’s leading residents. ²² Herod’s daughter Herodias came in and danced, thrilling Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the young woman, “Ask me whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” ²³ Then he swore to her, “Whatever you ask I will give to you, even as much as half of my kingdom.” ²⁴ She left the banquet hall and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” “John the Baptist’s head,” Herodias replied. ²⁵ Hurrying back to the ruler, she made her request: “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head on a plate, right this minute.” ²⁶ Although the king was upset, because of his solemn pledge and his guests, he didn’t want to refuse her. ²⁷ So he ordered a guard to bring John’s head. The guard went to the prison, cut off John’s head, ²⁸ brought his head on a plate, and gave it to the young woman, and she gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came and took his dead body and laid it in a tomb.

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Lectionary Week

July 5–11, 2021

Scripture Overview

Two readings this week focus on welcoming God’s presence. David does this by bringing the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem. As the ark arrives, David dances, worshiping God with reckless abandon. The author of Psalm 24 poetically calls a city to open its gates and welcome the great king. These passages invite us to consider how willingly we receive God into our lives. The reading from Ephesians speaks of God’s eternal plan. While circumstances may seem chaotic, God holds an eternal perspective and has sealed us with the Holy Spirit. Mark tells the sad story of the execution of John the Baptist, yet another example of a righteous person experiencing persecution.

Questions and Suggestions for Reflection

Read 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19. How do you bless others in your daily life?
Read Psalm 24. In what ways do you honor the Creator in the ways you care for God’s creation?
Read Ephesians 1:3-14. Where have you stumbled on your faith journey and found God ready and willing to help?
Read Mark 6:14-29. When have you experienced a guilty conscience? Did you resolve the issue that was causing the feeling?

Respond by posting a prayer.

I join many of those who will pray for you as you seek to discern what you are called to be at this moment. May God grant you the courage to fulfill that calling. May we all open our eyes and see the misery, open our ears and hear the cries of God’s people, and, like God through the Lord Jesus Christ, be incarnate amongst them.”

View a growing list of resources for the spiritual work of overcoming racism.

—Rev. Sidwell Mokgothu, Limpopo Synod Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa and board member for Africa Upper Room Ministries

Grace Runs Down

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Grace Runs Down

2 Samuel 6:1-19

Mark 6:14-29

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