Half Mast

The moment we permit evil to control our imaginations, dictate the way we think, and shape our responses we at the same time become incapable of seeing the good and the true and the beautiful.
– Eugene Peterson, Leap Over A Wall

My drive to my daughters school and my work takes me up our main street. Where I turn on to Topeka Blvd there is an American flag that occupies the front lawn of an office building. Because this route takes your through downtown I actually see a few different flags. At the intersection today the flag was at half mast. Hmmmm?

Seems the American flag is flying at half mast an awful lot these days.

and

What happened now?

Let’s see France, no that was multiple weeks ago. Planned Parenthood Clinic in Colorado, that was on Thanksgiving. Oh…that’s right, San Bernardino this week.

Then my mind drifts back to the idea of how often I have been seeing our American flag flying at half mast. It may have flown this often when I was younger but I do not remember. I thought as we entered into the Iraqi war I began seeing it fly at half mast more often. It was flying at half mast so often, sad to say, that I started becoming numb to it.

But I made some good friends and I cared a little more. Then I had a wife and cared a little more. Two kiddos come along and now I care more. I noticed that as my family increased in size and my circle of friends grew that I begin to pay more attention. I think I started paying more attention because I had more to lose.

I won’t lie, and maybe I speak for you too, it would be real easy to let fear take over these days. Maybe you have spent some time there recently. Worry, fear and anxiety seem to be on the rise. So many good friends around me are not sleeping well. More things than ever to help us unwind and relax. We are fearful.

So what gives?

Seems like every time I go down one of these thoughtful moments Jesus comes. Today He came through the story that everyone of us learned growing up. David and Goliath. I have heard this story shared a hundred times. Most of the time I skim over the top of it and miss what it offers. I see the pages of a kids book being flipped with this big odd ball giant taking a stone to the face and falling over.

It landed a different way. Story is always interesting.

Learning stories is not the same as learning multiplication tables. Eugene Peterson

Have you ever noticed that we can tell the same stories over and over again. Just last weekend over Thanksgiving I was talking to a friend who is inAustralia for a short stay. We were sharing the same story we have shared many times. This is the fifth year we have shared this story. She laughed. Her friend laughed. I laughed when they laughed. The story had new form but we were brought right back into the moment seeing more and experiencing story again. Our story Her families story. Seems like every time you hear story, especially when paying attention, it brings new fruit. It takes new shape and grows. Story invites you to sit…relax…imagine.

So today…reading about David I had a different view of this story.

Fear. David walked into a story that was happening before he arrived. The story had taken form and shape and was at full throttle. David’s first interaction with fear was his brothers meet and greet. With ten loaves of bread and ten bricks of cheese in hand David is met with his brothers scorn.

“What are you doing here! Why aren’t you minding your own business, tending that scrawny flock of sheep?”

By the way…if I am ever at an epic battle and you bring me cheese and bread, guaranteed celebration and good times coming. Promise.

This is the first hint that the story David walked into is being driven by fear. At least we know by now that fear has taken his brother out. Somehow David sees his brother acting a fool and has the sense to keep asking questions of other people. Quickly there after we see that the people are giving him the same answer as he seen on the faces of others. Fear. So David deals with the fear of his brother and now the fear of others.

The king catches word that David is here and he inquires to learn more about this giant. Saul seems confused. The king is scared, why isn’t David? David runs into his third round of fear. King Saul was anxious. Anxiety is typically driven by fear. He was afraid and warned David that he was too small and not capable of beating this giant. David convinced him to at least give it a try so out of fear the king tries to load him up with armor. David tries it on and gives it back to the king.

My friend Scott who teaches Hebrew put it perfectly a couple weeks ago. He asked the question “what do you need to put off that is coming from other people?” David had to put off the scorn of a family member. David had to put off the anxiety and fear of the crowd. David put off the fear of the king in order to face the situation that could of caused him fear, but didn’t.

I’m thinking about Paris and Colorado and San Bernardino. If you know Jesus, let me remind you what access we have.

You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel’s troops.

Your story also has an enemy. This enemy is diligently at work. His work is not good. He is here to steal, kill and destroy. He loves that you fear. The more the merrier for him.

But…he has been defeated!

We know who the winner was, is and will be. This story is won by a returning King that surpasses any fear that will come our way.

A good friend reminded me yesterday that when life is kicking my tail the first place to go is back to the delight of the Father. So I am putting off fear and going back to the Father. And back again and again and again. And then He will invite you to come again.

You? What has to be put off?