OUTSIDE

OUTSIDE

David had become God’s anointed and the rightful king of Israel, yet Saul remained on the throne. David refused to raise his hand against Saul. David didn’t attempt a coup d'etat to seize the throne by force, nor did he finagle his way to the throne via the kind of smear-and-slander campaigns we’ve seen virtually every U.S. presidential candidate engage in throughout modern history.

Instead, David chose to demonstrate faith. He fled into the hills where he wrote many of the Psalms - like Psalm 37:

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” - Psalm 37:7

See, it’s one thing to read a Chinese proverb written by some anonymous guy whom nobody knows anything about. It’s another thing to read a song of praise to God from a man whose entire life is chronicled in Scripture - the ups, the downs, the success, the epic fails. That's called credibility.

Authentic faith has to be one of the most heartbreaking things we can experience. David had the moxie and wherewithal not only to “wait patiently,” and sing about it, but in the same breath he was utterly broken inside.

Saul wanted David found and killed, therefore David was separated from the community of the faithful - the nation of Israel - where God’s Presence dwelt among them - Immanuel, God with us. That’s when David penned the words to Psalm 42. It's a short Psalm so take a moment to read it.

David desired so desperately to go and be among the people of God in God’s life-giving presence that the best analogy he could muster was that of a deer dying of thirst - panting in the overbearing heat of the harsh Judean wilderness.

David’s heart was simultaneously resolved to “wait patiently” for the LORD, and filled with unimaginable grief due to his separation from his community where God’s Presence dwelled day and night.

Many years later Matthew wrote, “The ancestral record of Jesus, Christ, the Son of David…” (Matt 1:1), and finished his gospel message with Jesus’ imperative, “Having been brought through, therefore, disciple…” (Matt 28:19).

Throughout the centuries the Christian Church has made “church” about a lot of things: conversions, crusades, indulgences, schisms, denominations, building projects, preaching… but have we ever been known by the world over for what David was heartbroken about - there are people OUTSIDE the commUNITY of God - the place where God dwells as Immanuel and the only place where life can be found.

When Jesus issued His final imperative, “disciple all the peoples” I seriously doubt that His intention was for us to “make” anything, to be extorted for anything, to build anything, to fight about anything (wine or grape juice? really?), but rather to live in such rich community that those living OUTSIDE would realize they - like the deer desperately panting for water - lack the only thing that truly matters.

Jesus said to her, “...whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Is that the kind of faith that you’re living out in community with other followers of Christ? I’m confident that’s exactly what Jesus was talking about when He implored the remaining eleven Disciples to “disciple.”

Not long ago Jesus called you to follow after Him - just as He invited 12 guys to do. It wasn’t until all the junk was stripped away that they could finally receive His message, “Disciple.”

It’s a word that looks like His life - always in community, always considering others more important than Himself, always loving, always investing, always inviting, and always compelling those on the OUTSIDE to come in and truly live.

That’s what it means to disciple.

That’s what it means to be part of the Bride of Christ.

Blessings,

-Kevin

PS I’m sorry for not posting in several days. Our whole family has been hit with a nasty stomach bug that’s had me bedridden. By the grace of God I’m feeling much better today!