December 8, 2019, 1 Chronicles 16 – Post 3 – ISSL Reflection

VI.
Let’s take some time today to pay attention to a couple of sentences in the passage – one near the beginning and another at the end.

…. When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord; and he distributed to every person in Israel—man and woman alike—to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

Then all the people departed to their homes, and David went home to bless his household.
(1 Chronicles 16:2-3, 43)

VII.
So, maybe assembling to worship and praise God is not just about that particular place and what goes on in that time and place. David’s actions seem to imply (at least to me) that what we give to others and what we take from worship and how we share with and bless others afterwards is not separate from the worship experience but inherit in it.

Is our experience of worship limited to a “worship service” we “attend” once or twice a week for an hour of two? Or maybe it also includes our time of private devotions and worship we practice a few times a week? But that’s all? Well, maybe every now and then something happens, we see something, we hear something, we feel something, and we have this moment in which we sense a presence beyond ourselves, and that moment becomes special, dare we call it holy?

But is that all?

VIII.
David gave something to those who assembled. He gave the people a blessing and food. “… in the name of the Lord” he blessed them and gave them bread, meat and fruit. Seems to me this should serve to remind us that sharing our table with someone is both nouishement and blessing, for them and for us.

“… and he went home to bless his household.”

We take something with us as we leave a place and time of worship and praise. Have we come near enough to the Holy to have something to share? And we have a choice to make – how do we share the blessings we have received?

What do you have to share, what blessings do you have to impart? When will you take the opportunity?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}


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