2010 Advent Devotional
St. Stephen United Methodist Church
Friday, December 3
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
1 Endow the king with your justice, O God,
   the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness,
   your afflicted ones with justice.

 3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
   the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 May he defend the afflicted among the people
   and save the children of the needy;
   may he crush the oppressor.
5 May he endure as long as the sun,
   as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
   like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days may the righteous flourish
   and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

 

18 Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
   who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Praise be to his glorious name forever;
   may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
            Amen and Amen.

 

"Give the king your justice, O God."

How meaningful is this prayer from the Psalmist! While it is true that Solomon prayed for wisdom, here the heartfelt prayer of the people is for the king to live and rule according to justice. And, this kingly justice goes beyond fairness. Three times in quick succession the Psalmist appeals for the king to administer justice in relation to the poor and needy ... even to crush the oppressor!

It seems the best concern for those who lead is not the national interest or less government or lower taxes or mighty armies or even a strong infrastructure. From God's perspective, the most important thing is for a leader to have a heart for the hurting, the wounded, the disadvantaged, the "nobodies," the disenfranchised, the nameless forgotten ones.

Compare this concern with the circumstances of Jesus' birth and we begin to get the picture of the kind of leader (king) we have in Jesus.

His very conception was dubiously considered. He was born in a cattle shed to poor young parents (his mom a mere teenager). He had no rank or status or proper breeding. He did not come from one of the leading families of Israel (though he counted King David among his ancestors). He grew up with meager means working with his hands as a common man. He taught using basic images such as light and darkness, wheat and tares, sheep and goats, yokes and doorways and vines and water. He spoke the truth to those in power, especially religious authority. He suffered and died with no more than the clothes on his back, but with God's mission burning in his heart!

Do we look for the same in our leaders? Do we seek to be servant leaders led by that same Spirit?

"Give the king your justice, O God."
Rev. Tom Latimer

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