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Blood, Sweat & Faith: Everyday Spirituality in the Life of David

Three Friends

1 Samuel 18-19, Psalm 59

David, acting as incognito king of Israel, has just killed Goliath and become famous. Now it’s time for Saul to hand him the keys to the kingdom in a peaceful transition of power, right? Wrong. Instead, David enters an agonizing chapter of his story, living as a homeless fugitive for about 20 years. Fortunately, God gives David some friends to love him and remind him that better days are ahead. But, as David discovers, not all friends are created equal. Why are close friendships so difficult and rare? How do we avoid getting burned while living with love and loyalty ourselves?

I highly recommend that you read 1 Samuel 18 and 19 and Psalm 59 before Sunday morning, since we won’t have time to break down these chapters in detail.

Crossroads Church’s Arts Incubator service starts at 10:30am, but we’d love to see you at 9am to set up, pray and drink coffee.

When I remember, I’ll keep posting these previews I write for our informal Arts Incubator services.

Blood, Sweat & Faith: Everyday Spirituality in the Life of David

Giant-Killer

1 Samuel 17

Standing across the valley, Saul’s army thinks Goliath is a leafless tree in the Philistine battle line–until he steps forward and begins screaming taunts. Israel’s nerve collapses and everyone runs for it. No one is sure if Yahweh can beat a dude over 8 feet tall. Saul offers bribes but no one takes him up. Everyone is angry and depressed, but mostly jittery and insomniac. Then David shows up, and can’t believe what’s going on. His take is radically different because David sees what no one else does.

Join us at 10:30am Sunday morning at the Arts Incubator (located on 18th St between Baltimore & Wyandotte.

On Saturday morning, I collected my Life & Fighting photos from Crossroads Coffeehouse on Southwest Boulevard, where they were the featured exhibit for July. Thanks to everyone who came by and made ridiculously flattering comments–it was a good run!

Since you won’t find these photos on display for awhile, I’ll be posting them here, maybe a couple a week. This one I took in the West Bottoms in the mid-afternoon. Not thrilled about the lighting, but I like the sense that my brother Peter is striding around the corner into some kind of urban neo-Western showdown.

High Noon