A House for God

Charlotte Collins Reed
Christ Church Episcopal
December 24, 2023

 4 Advent B

Our two sons were backseat theologians at a young age.  One Sunday morning when the kids were probably 2 and 5 years old, we were driving to church when a voice from the back seat offered this theological insight.  "God has large hands."  "Really," I responded.  "Why does God have large hands?"  The answer: "To give the children lots of candy."  The truth of the matter was that our priest at the time was six foot five, did have large hands, and enjoyed giving candy to the children when they visited the office.  So, God must do the same thing.  Another Sunday morning, one of the kids wondered what kind of pajamas God wears.  "What makes you think God wears pajamas?" I asked.  And from the back seat "I wear pajamas.  I am made in the image of God.  So, God must wear pajamas, too."  Apparently, our kids knew that they are made in the image of God but in their young minds that made God in their image rather than vice versa.

But our budding 2 and 5 years old theologians are in good company this morning because King David is doing exactly the same thing.  David is now the King of Israel.  He is settled in a lovely house of cedar, which he is no doubt enjoying, when he realizes that while he, a human being even if a king, lives in a house, the ark of God stays in a tent.  David certainly prefers his house to a tent, so wouldn't God also prefer a more permanent dwelling?  Surely what David likes, God would like, too. 

And while David will eventually build God a very fine house, for now, God tells David that God's very identity is in being among the people.  God says "I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle."  God is the God of outrageous promises for God's people.  God promised to create a great nation from the then- childless Abraham and Sarah.  God promised to free those very people from slavery in Egypt. And God promised to establish the people in the Promised Land.  Throughout the Israelite's long sojourn out of Egypt, through the wilderness and to the Promised Land, God had always been one step ahead, leading them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to make good on God's promises.  God has always been willing to go first into those outrageous promises.  How can God possibly go first if God is contained in a house?

          This story was not written while the Israelites were enjoying peace and prosperity under David's rule.  2 Samuel was written while the Israelites were in exile in Babylon several centuries later and God seemed profoundly absent.  The people needed to be reminded that God was not contained in the Temple, which had been destroyed. God's very nature was to be out among the people, dreaming grand dreams, one step ahead of them, bringing them closer and closer to the time when they could return home.  In 2 Samuel, David is not prevented from building God a temple because David has committed murder as is the case when the story is told in 1 Kings. David is prevented from building a temple for God because God will build David a house-a house not of cedar but a house and a kingdom that will last forever.  When the life the Israelite people know in the Promised Land has come to an end, their temple has been destroyed and they have been deported from the land God gave them, they are reminded both of God's presence with them and God's promise that, despite the current circumstances, God will establish a house of David that will last forever. God has made good on outrageous promises before. God can be trusted to make good on equally outrageous promises now.

This morning, we hear that God's outrageous promise to David will come to pass through Mary.  If we hear this story with new ears, as if we have never heard the words of the angel before, we will hear a bold and absurd plan being presented to Mary.  She will conceive and bear a son who will be the Son of God.  Mary's first and logical response to this radical change in the direction of her life is quite understandable. "How can this be?"  But once the angel explains what God has in mind, and reminds Mary that “With God, all things are possible,” Mary says "Here I am, the servant of the Lord. Let it be with me according to your word."

In the child Mary carries, God will be out among the people in a new way.  The Christ Child, the Son of David, will lead us into what is perhaps God’s most lavish and outrageous promise.  The house of David that will stand forever will be built with love that is stronger than hate, good that is stronger than evil, and life that is stronger than death. 

                                                                             Amen.