May 16: Of clenched fists and open palms

1 Samuel 18:5-19:24

John 8:31-59

Psalm 112:1-10

Proverbs 15:12-14

There are many lessons my parents have tried to teach me that I thought I'd already learned, only to be confronted with situations that confirm how far I have yet to go.  One of those lessons is "if you don't unclench your fist around what you hold dear, God cannot put anything in your hand".  If you are like me, this isn't easy.  Living in the world, we are taught and trained - incessantly, I might add - to develop attractions, then addictions to worldly things.  I struggle with the sin of finding my security in savings, in employment, in hard work and in education.  These are the things I often find that, soon after I thought I'd let them go, I see my fists clenched around them again.  

In today's readings, it is comforting to see it isn't just me.  Saul had his fists clenched around being "the chosen one", the anointed of God, even though Samuel had told him previously his disobedience would lead to God placing the crown upon another.  And in his efforts to keep his fists clenched around his position, he sought to kill David, whom he was increasingly coming to realize was the new chosen of God.  Kill him - not just once in today's reading, but twice.  Despite the fact it was increasingly apparent God was blessing Israel through David.  

The Pharisees in the NT reading seem to have been cut from the same cloth.  They so firmly clenched their fists around the interpretation of scripture that served to keep them in their positions of authority they refused to consider the possibility salvation they professed to aspire to was standing before them in our Lord.  And we know they lengths to which they were prepared to go to keep their fists closed - they were prepared to go as far as Saul was, only they were successful.  

The psalms today are pretty clear on this topic as well.  They talk of the blessedness of those "who are generous and lend freely", who "have freely scattered their gifts to the poor".  These are the ones whose "hearts are secure", who "will have no fear", and who, "in the end,...will look in triumph on their foes".  

Of all the promises in the psalms today, the one that I desire the most is to have a secure heart, to live without fear - which I take to mean without worry.  Father, unclench our fists around the trinkets we wrongfully treasure over your gifts, that our palms might be empty to receive Your unbridled, unlimited goodness.