CHARGE! I Kings 2:1-12

Yes, I know that I have failed to maintain the two-a-month pace I had hoped to keep upon pledging to return to blogging.  Still, it is only August and maybe I will still be able to make up for lost time.  To that end, I offer this entry.  

I have had a particularly rich time in I and II Kings recently while navigating through the Word of Life Quiet Time.  History, right, how compelling can that be?  Well there are still life principles that can be learned from the triumphs and failures of others and applied to individual situations these many centuries later.

Remember, this is just an observation...

It seems to me that in Western culture, we are missing the setting of landmarks in our lives and the lives of others.  That is, we often transition from one stage of life to another with nary a meaningful recognition of the passage of certain milestones.  Oh, yes, I know that we celebrate high school graduations with an open house party (though this is not true in some parts of the country, I have heard), we celebrate weddings with a ceremony and reception (the latter also not being universal), and we mark that final passage with the final acknowledgement—the eulogy, the postponed praise we give in honor of one who is no longer able to hear it.

These occasions are all great times—and there are likely others, such as the birth of a new child, for instance—for the passing along of accumulated wisdom from the oldest to the youngest.  (Whether the youngest are receptive is another topic for another day, perhaps.)  I am of the opinion that these momentous occasions call for charges to be given. 

Among the 15 noun and 21 verb entries found, a charge is defined as “an order, command, or injunction” (n.) and “to instruct or urge authoritatively, to command.”(v.)  A charge is not merely suggestive in nature, as if it was optional, but is a strongly motivational message with the desired effect of helping someone to know what the right thing is to do, and to direct them into doing it.

King David viewed the occasion of his impending death as monumental enough to give a charge to his son Solomon, instructions for ruling the kingdom.  After all, David would soon no longer be available for counsel.  David had one last shot to get it in.  David tells Solomon to be strong and to “prove yourself a man.”  Further, he says in I Kings 2:3,

“And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn;”

Finally, David told Solomon there were a couple guys who needed to go on his hit list, namely Joab and Shimei (“…you are a wise man and know what you should do to him…”) while advising him to repay kindness to the sons of Barzillai who aided David when he was in peril.

I certainly am not the model parent and if I had things that I would do differently—which of us does not?—I think that I should like to have been prepared with words of wisdom and encouragement for my daughter during certain stages of life—certain birthday milestones, high school graduation, the beginning of college, and the like.  I should have had solemn charges the implementation of which would enable her to better prosper in the midst of various life changes.  Sadly, there are no do-overs in life.  One can only learn and move forward with the hope of trying to do better tomorrow, as Tony Kornheiser promises daily.

The wedding of one of her elementary school classmates recently reminds me that perhaps I should prepare something for the occasion of the daughter’s wedding one day that will be full of wisdom yet pithy and instrumental to her matrimonial success.

King David was fortunate in that he could see that he was near the end of his natural life and had the opportunity to make a final charge to Solomon.  We don’t always have that privilege—death may come suddenly and unexpectedly, and does to some.  Maybe I should be working on that charge now, too.

Whatever specifics may find their way into any future charges, the wisdom of I Kings 2:3 is a good universal starting point for anyone—live according to God’s Word in order to enjoy a life blessed by God.