This week, the question of faith becomes the focus as we contrast David’s lustful self-interest with the faith of Jesus in feeding the crowds and appearing to the disciples in the storm. The challenging question that this week’s readings raise is this: What will be the driving force of our lives – faithful trust in God’s ways, our own self-interest. It sounds like an easy choice to make, but the realities of our daily lives show how hard it can be.
God calls us to live and trust in His ways. On the one hand, there are the familiar stories of God’s provision. The Gospel reading from John, Jesus feeds a large crowd – possibly because the generosity and faith of one small boy led to greater sharing and mutual care from the entire group. Furthermore, as the disciples wrestle in the storm, their fear is removed when they know the presence of Jesus, and they are able to find their way back to land safely.
In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul reminds the believers of God’s provision and grace, and prays that they may learn to grasp how abundant God’s love is, and that they allow this knowledge to strengthen them and open them to God’s life within them.
On the other hand, there is the story of David’s lust and deception. The infamous story of his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband speaks loudly of the consequences that result when we move away from trust in God’s grace and God’s ways, and begin to operate from our own self-interest. Although God had given David everything he could have desired, in his unfaithfulness and selfishness, it was not enough, and so he took things into his own hands and brought tragedy on others and (as we will see next week) himself.
The focus, then, of the Lectionary this week, is on learning to trust in God’s grace and God’s ways, and learning to live out of that faith in every choice, every decision and every moment.
It’s a timely word, since so much suffering is caused when we operate from fear, lust, greed and self-sufficiency. Faith in God’s ways and God’s gracious presence may sound naive and impractical, but, when we take the risk and live as faithful followers of Christ, we discover that the principles of God’s Reign really are the best way to live. May our worship encourage us in faith and give us the strength and courage to faithfully trust the ways of God’s Reign this week.