Sit

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” (Luke 18:38).

King David Playing the Harp (Gerard van Honthorst)

I have been reflecting on the story of the Kingship of David in the Old Testament.  When Samuel wanted to anoint the next king of Israel Jesse, David’s father, presented his older sons.  Each was presented as an obvious choice and yet Samuel rejected each of them.  Finally, Samuel asked if there was anyone who had been overlooked.  And Jesse mentioned his youngest son, who was tending the sheep.  And Samuel replied, “We will not sit down till he comes here.” (1 Samuel 16:11).

Samuel did not say this because he was interested in standing.  He said this because culturally standing for someone was a form of honour.  And so, Samuel was saying that he was giving honour to David – the young boy who he had never met and who had not been recognised as a leader.

David was not yet a warrior or a king.  He was the youngest son and therefore afforded the least honour.  And still they waited for him to come and they waited standing.

And this is not a reflection just on David, who would be anointed King, but also on Samuel.  You see, Samuel was a holy man who followed the Will of God.  And as such he was willing to wait for God’s choice.  He did not assess what was visible and did not evaluate based on what appeared to be true.  He considered the truth that was invisible and unremarkable (1 Samuel 16:7).  He aligned himself with God’s plan even when that looked utterly ridiculous to the rest of the world.

I am trying to imagine the scene.  There was a great man waiting – standing – and there was a young shepherd boy being calling in from the fields.  Perhaps someone had to run very far to find David?  Perhaps they had to shout over and over before he heard them call?  Maybe they had to leave someone behind with the sheep so that David could run ahead?  Was he sweating and panting when he arrived at that meeting?  Was he scared or was he intrigued?  Did he worry about the sheep?  Was he in the middle of something?  Had he eaten lunch first or was he hungry?  Did he know that his entire life was going to change in that moment?

Did he know that his name would be called through the millennia as the father of the Messiah?   

Later people would cry, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” (Luke 18:38).

And Christ would be tied to his line.  And just as David had been overlooked as the shepherd boy, Christ was overlooked as the carpenter’s son.  And in this too God was at work.

And I have been thinking about that today as I have been thinking about how often I am called just to stand when I would rather sit.  And it seems to me that such a thing is impossibly challenging.  Impossibly!

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.