Parakalein

Yesterday morning as I preached three take overs occurred:
1) I found myself reading something other than what I said I was reading
2) I sensed God's presence in a unique way and let go of what I had planned and went with Spirit
3) The Minister of Music:  Mark Kelso of the church where i was "pulpit Supply" sang this song as a spontaneous refrain to the message and service as a song of reflection after the benediction.

It was amazing.  Here is the kernel of the message:

In II Samuel Chapter 11 the life and attributes of David and Uriah are contrasted and qualified.  The contrast of leadership and integrity is stark and sure.  David stayed home in the palace while the troops went off to war when the SOP is the King goes off to war with his troops. The silence begins in covering up this "stay home" or stand down policy of doing whatever he wants then asking for people to cover for him.  Then he sees from the roof patio of the palace his palpating heart for the lovely woman across the way.  He secretly sends for her.  He then, in the "cloak of palace protection" and the misuse of Kingly power, sleeps with her.  Then she lets him know she is pregnant.  Her secret is that she came to him even though married to Uriah. She might have been afraid if she neglected the Kings offer her husband would be in jeopardy or she may have just felt the ego surge of the Kings beckoning.  Regardless she secretly came to him.  His secret is that he wanted what he wanted regardless of anything including his integrity and intimacy with God.  He stood up for what he wanted.  He stood down from honoring his God.  He then sends for Uriah and has him returned home so he can go and lay with his wife.  Ostensibly to sleep with her as he had been away at battle for a long time and would obviously want to go home, be grateful for the opportunity, and of course sleep with her and they then could say the child she bore was his.  Again a secret plot of predatory secret and the misuse of power.  Sounds like a Biblical version of Penn State, Joe Paterno, and Jerry Sandusky.

Uriah responds with not so Lord.  I will not go home and sleep with my wife when all my fellow soldiers are off at battle and a few are here with me in respite. I will sleep with them as none of them will be going home to their wives so neither shall I.  I am sure you David would do the same, never sleeping with a wife while your soldiers are off at battle.  You would be with them.  The King then got him drunk hoping to get him home to sleep with his wife.  He again refused sanctuary in an un-sanctified way.  He stood down from what he had every right to and stood up for what he valued more than life itself.  His responsibility to his soldiers, and his respect for and honor of his integrity.  He led with humility and honor.  He said, "Thanks but no thanks".  David then arranged for him to be killed in battle all under the predators secret powers used for selfish gain.

Uriah stands up to the King who offers him what he has every right to, he stands up for integrity no matter the loss to his own rights.  Uriah stands down with humility even in the presence of what he has a right to as an expression of his identification with his fellow soldiers.  The inner secret is a Passageway to True Power.  The predators secret is to protect himself and what he did from being discovered.  The Passageway secret is to propel himself into honor, honesty, and humility.

When scripture tells us the all the secrets, once hidden from view, will all be exposed in heaven it is not an effort to shame or judge but with clarity to declare that the way of heaven is the way of honor, honesty and humility no patter what the gain or loss.  The way of earth or humanity is the way of cover up and protection regardless of who gets hurt thus hurting everyone.

Jim Elliot, missionary to Inca Indians is famous for two quotes that typify this kind of authentic, transparent, and triumphant leadership.  He stood down when he said, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose".  He stood up when he said to those who were killing him, "You can take my life but you cannot put out the light!".

Uriah the General maintained integrity and intimacy with God.  David gave up integrity and intimacy with God.  Listen to the u-tub song, "Hallelujah" which with creative license blends Samson's fall and David's fall as one to make the point even more compelling.  In David's honor when God was giving this word to the World, I imagine David said.  Please use my humanity as an illustration of what I through sufferings learned so that others might see and spare themselves the same loss and gain and shift to choose loss and gain in heavens purview.


Here is the song:

http://youtu.be/sDJgxE-0PZI

Hallelujah Amen