Do You Have A Solomon?

Click on the Gracenotes link above to hear this week's podcast all about Solomon.  It might not be what you think.....

Somebody's Hero

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_uMQTw7v2g">Somebody's Hero

Ask Ellen: You mentioned that you practice Lectio Divina in your podcast interview. Can you tell me more about that? Jay.

Firstly, Jay, thanks for taking the time to listen to the podcast.  I really enjoyed being a guest on Among Women.  If you didn’t get a chance to hear the interview, it can be found here:  http://amongwomenpodcast.blogspot.com/2012/07/among-women-139-conversation-conversion.html

In the interview, I said that Lectio Divina is one of my favorite ways to pray.  Lectio Divina is an ancient Catholic tradition that brings to mind the fascination with New Age mediataion.  Catholics have been practicing meditation for centuries with one major difference fro the New Age stuff that is so popular today: Lectio Divina is centered on God.  In the process you prayerfully use Scripture to enter more deeply into prayer with God.

Before beginning the process, it is important to set aside the space and time.  As I mentioned in the podcast, silence is essential.  That was very difficult for me in the beginning.  There are four stages to Lectio Divina.

The first is simply reading.  Choose a passage of Scripture that interests you.  Read it slowly and prayerfully.  Read it as if God is speaking just to you.

The next step is to meditate on the passage.  Focus on a word or phrase that jumps out at you.  As I mentioned in the podcast, I will often write the phrase down and carry it with me all day.

Next, speak directly to God.  Tell Him what you understood and what was over your head.  Be honest.  Reveal your thoughts and emotions.  Unload what is bothering you.

The last step is to contemplate.  Just be in God’s Presence.  Be open to what HE is saying through the passage and how He is speaking directly into your life.

This is a powerful way to center your day on God and your relationship with Him.  I encourage you to give it a try.

You Can Always Blame Your Mother

Last week we met David and discovered he had a heart like God’s.  That can be disturbing to realize if you know about David and Bathsheba.  It is such a big thingsthat we will need to unpack it some more this week.  Let’s focus in on how the affair happened and what the consequences were.

Look at 2 Sam 11: 1-5.  Skip ahead to verse 15 to see how David just made matters worse.  Verse 17 tells us that “Uriah the Hittite died.”  Let’s get a few things straight.  David stayed in Jerusalem when all the other kings were off at war.  Talk about wrong place, wrong time!  He had an affair with Bathsheba and proceeded to have her husband killed.  We don’t read much about Bathsheba’s feeling on the matter here.  I imagine she fell in love with David almost immediately.  With a heart like God’s, how couldn’t she?  So know she finds herself an adulteress, in love with her King and her husband dies.  Could things get worse?  Yes!

Read verse 27.  She was also pregnant.  So now she moves in with her King and they live happily ever after, right?  Nope.  Let’s look at 2 Sam 12:1-7.  “You are the man.”  Such chilling words!  Can you imagine how David felt?  But, David has a heart like God’s so God lets them off the hook right?  No.  Look at verse 10.  All sin, including guys like David’s, has consequences.  Look at verse 14.  David pleaded with God, did everything he could think of to spare the life of his child, but to no avail.

Many would believe that is where the story should end.  Two people sinned and hurt people and they ended up getting what they deserve.  That’s not how God works, thankfully.  Cause I don’t know about you, but I could use a story with a happy ending for us sinners.  Look at verse 24.  Bathsheba bears another son, Solomon.

This is where Bathsheba’s story turns around.  I hope mine does too.  Don’t you?  Throughout it all, all of the sin and heartbreak, David and Bathsheba have hearts that long to serve God and bring forth goodness.  That is exactly what happens, they bring forth Solomon, possibly Israel’s greatest king.  We will talk about him next week.

Bathsheba is redeemed by God through Solomon and by David’s love.  Theirs was not a neat and tidy love story, but it was one of power.  One that brought forth much good in the end.

When David died and Solomon took the throne, Bathsheba became the Queen Mother.  She advocated for her son in 1 Kings 1:11-14, 16-21, and 28-30.  This is the role Bathsheba played for the rest of her life.  God forgave her sin and granted her a position of power, that of mother.

The role of the Queen Mother in ancient Israel cannot be understated.  She advised her son.  She had a throne right next to him.  She was an advocate for the people.  In fact, the Queen Mother was one of the most important members of the King’s entourage.  Bathsheba is the Old Testament Queen Mother.  Can you think of the Queen Mother of the New Testament?

The dictionary describes a mother as “a woman in authority, the ultimate example of its kind.”  Bathsheba was that person, even though she sinned.

As mothers we can learn a great deal from Bathsheba.  She was a sinner and she was forgiven.  She was given many wonderful things even after she sinned.  Bathsheba shows us that we can’t outsin God.  She loved, protected and defended her son.  She advised him.  She sat right next to him.  I’m not advocating that you get on the school bus and sit next to your kids.  I am saying we should be very present to them.  She advocated for his needs and the needs of others.  She was the most important influence on her son.  Are you?

I am so thankful that Bathsheba didn’t get written off.  She gives us such a story of hope.  Embrace forgiveness and move on and create wonderful things.  When you do, think of Bathsheba and love those entrusted to your care fiercely.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Do I believe I have outsinned God?  If so, what can Bathsheba teach me?

Where are my Solomons, the good things that come, even after I sin?

What can Bathseba teach me as a mother?

Am I the most important influence on my children?  Do I use that to bring them to God?

And Snow Is Angel Dandruff

Please click on the Gracieland icon on the bottom right of the home screen to see this week's webstrip.  To see all of the strips, please visit: http://greetingsfromgracieland.com/

Tuesday Table Talk

Ask your children the following questions about the strip:


Are you afraid of thunderstorms?

What are you afraid of?

What parts of nature do you find most interesting?

What does Gracie mean by God needing shoes that big?

Gracenotes: Bathsheba

Gracenotes: Bathsheba

Click on the podcast link to hear about  this week's character Bathsheba

Friday Fun Link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCbTICNAwxM