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Changing our Posture

A Reflection for Tuesday, December 23 by Kim Delp


Lectionary reading for 12/23/2025:  Luke 1:46b-55; 2 Samuel 7:18, 23-29; Galatians 3:6-14; Selected passage for reflection: 2 Samuel 7: 18, 23-29


Read

2 Samuel 7: 18, 23-29, The Message

 King David went in, took his place before God, and prayed: “Who am I, my Master God, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life?

And who is like your people, like Israel, a nation unique in the earth, whom God set out to redeem for himself (and became most famous for it), performing great and fearsome acts, throwing out nations and their gods left and right as you saved your people from Egypt? You established for yourself a people—your very own Israel!—your people permanently. And you, God, became their God.

25-27 “So now, great God, this word that you have spoken to me and my family, guarantee it permanently! Do exactly what you’ve promised! Then your reputation will flourish always as people exclaim, ‘The God-of-the-Angel-Armies is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will remain sure and solid in your watchful presence. For you, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God, told me plainly, ‘I will build you a house.’ That’s how I was able to find the courage to pray this prayer to you.

28-29 “And now, Master God, being the God you are, speaking sure words as you do, and having just said this wonderful thing to me, please, just one more thing: Bless my family; keep your eye on them always. You’ve already as much as said that you would, Master God! Oh, may your blessing be on my family permanently!”


Reflect

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with David sometimes.  I grew up with Sunday School stories and sermons, learning about how great he was, just to realize when I was older that he was a rapist and murderer, abuser of power, sub-par dad, among other things.  In recent years, when I read about David, I roll my eyes and try to skip over anything I can learn from him.  Yes, that’s honest and true, maybe not very holy, but true.  I have thought through this recently and have concluded that maybe it is because I see more of myself in him than I would like to admit.  Not because I am the things mentioned above (at least I hope I’m not), but because I am a miserable sinner just like him and through God’s grace have been given mercy to somehow be used in a small way in the bigger God kingdom, not because I deserve it at all.  So, how beautiful and redemptive of God to allow me to study this passage in Samuel to see a side of David that really gives insight into some of his thoughts.  David shows us a posture of humility.


In the previous verses in Chapter 7, King David has just been told by God through Nathan “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.”


David’s response to this is where we pick up in verse 18, continuing with a humble expression of praise, not because he deserved it, but because it was inspired by God’s grace.  David realized his position, asking, “Who am I?”, but then exalted who Jesus is, naming Him: “You are God”.  David knew his place, and he knew God’s place and realized this moment was less about him and all about God.


I imagine David staring off into space, imagining what the future looks like for his descendants.  I imagine myself in his position, thinking about all my mistakes and failures, and wondering how this could be possible.  As badly as I have messed up, knowing my descendants will too.  How shocking would that news be?  To know that no matter how much failure is to come, the redemption of knowing that there was nothing that could take away the throne?  


But as much as this could be focused on David, he realizes it is bigger than him, and we need to realize this, too.  Although it may not have been fully clear at the time, the revelation of the everlasting kingdom of God Himself has just been given to David.  This promised covenant would be raised through a king, in David,  but it points to THE King!  We can understand this prophetic promise and imagine even more how this relates to us.  So many times we read the Bible and don’t imagine ourselves in it; we don’t let it penetrate to the point of belief, or to the point of seeing how it is alive and changing us.  This is one of those moments where the promise given to King David and his descendants is also for us!


God has brought you here, to this place and this time, just as he did with David in His mercy.  Through Jesus and this covenant established with David, not just his descendants, but WE have access to God Himself.  We don’t need the ark, the temple, or sacrifice; the veil has been torn for us to move in close.  We can approach the throne of the creator without fear, and he welcomes us.  He invites us in to experience His love, His peace, His presence.  We don’t have to focus or be held back by the past, our failures, or our current situation. We have access to the changing power of God Himself.  Don’t let it pass you by.  


Respond 

When we reflect on Advent, it is almost impossible to imagine it without also thinking of the cross.  Our Jesus was born to die.  Carrying both of those things is heavy.  But through both the birth and death of Jesus, we are given access to the God of angel armies!  We are invited, not because we are deserving, but because we, like David, are all redeemed by the saving power of Jesus.  Reflect on this “who am I” in verse 18.  I encourage you to use this as a place to begin your prayer.  It isn’t to put ourselves down or to make ourselves less, but it puts us in a place of humility, a posture of praise with complete access.  It is a good place to enter into prayer, realizing and acknowledging who WE are and who GOD is; it’s a posture change.  


Go a little deeper listening to these two songs: 


Rest 

Try this Meditation from Catholic Priest Richard Rohr:

Await God’s presence, not as you expect, hope, or imagine, but just as it is in this moment.  

Allow a sense of God’s presence (or not) to come and be what it is, without meeting your expectations. 

 Accept as a gift whatever comes or does not come. 

Accept that you are not in charge.  

Accept the infinity of God’s presence, present whether you are aware.  

Attend to what you are called to, actions that God invites you to from this stance of openness. Amen


About the Author 


Kim Delp has been a missionary in Ecuador for the last 15 years and recently moved back to the U.S. with her family.  She has been married to Joel for almost 24 years, and their kids, Simeon, Esther, and Ephraim, as well as their dog, Manchas, are all learning together what life in the U.S. looks like.  Learning what this word “home” means has made for some very interesting dinner conversations over this last year, based on what we are experiencing around us.  Kim currently works as a Family Nurse Practitioner at Lawndale Christian Health Center in Chicago, continues to work and empower church and project leadership in Ecuador, and writes and preaches here in the States.  To learn more and partner in Ecuador ,check out the website at https://www.santiagopartnership.org/

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