I have so enjoyed doing "The Jesse Tree" this year. I won't spend too much time telling you what it is, but briefly it's a display created during the Christmas season, following each day of the advent (which I'm still not quite sure what that is ~ I grew up Baptist :). Anyway, every day you are supposed to add an ornament depicting a significant member or event in Jesus' lineage, beginning with creation and ending, of course, with the birth of Christ...usually.
WELL, there are as many variations out there on "Jesse Trees" as various kinds of apples. So, I picked one I was familiar with, having thought long and hard about actually doing one for the past 3 years! That said, Arowyn and I have molded, and painted and created works of art, only a mother could truly appreciate ;)! I have told story after story of the meaning behind each ornament.
However, there is one ornament I'm adding to the Jesse Tree list. Let me explain first...
I used to think Uriah got a bad shake. Think about it. He was one of only 37 "Might Men of Valor" in David's vast army. And what did he get in return? Face value: his wife was stolen by his commander in chief, he carried his own death warrant to his immediate superior officer, his band of brothers left him in the heat of battle (forget the motto, "Never leave a man behind."). They left him on purpose, to cover up the fact that David committed adultery with Uriah's wife and (oops), there's a baby on the way.
Yes, the baby is taken as punishment for their sin and I don't discount that sorrow in the least, but then Bathsheba and David can get married and have another baby and THAT baby becomes God's chosen line for his earthly heritage...Okay, and Uriah is dead, in the ground, forgotten. What in the world? (Stronger language is REALLY merited in the previous sentence, but I haven't the courage to put it!)
At least that's what I thought...until last year as I read the story of the genealogy of Christ, on Joseph's side, in Matthew. (Get into a habit of reading ALL of God's word...even the "boring" parts. God will honor you for it and will open your mind to see HIM.)
Matthew 1:2 (middle) "David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah,"My mind exploded with the implications. The established cultural practice, dating back to the time of Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar, was: when a man died without offspring, the first surviving male of the wife's next union becomes the preserver of the heritage and lineage of the deceased husband.
The point is...Uriah was not forgotten by God. The Holy Spirit mentions his presence in Matthew, reminding future generations of the part he played in the genealogy of Christ. No one can take that away from him. Not even the inescapable power and decree of a mighty king of Israel.
I used to think if I met up with Uriah in heaven, I'd kinda slide by him, head averted maybe whistle a favorite hymn...What do you say to someone who you think got the short end of the stick? The words, "Wow, I am really sorry." just seem grossly out of place. And if I take it to the furthest point, what I actually thought was Uriah was given the short end of the stick...by God.
Listen up heart!!! He's in the paternal lineage of THE CHRIST! The One that should come! And he submitted to the events that unfolded...Oh how I NEED a reminder of that! My heart full of pride rising up at every perceived or actual wrong! They are not for ME to avenge, to set to right, give a good piece of my mind to! God knows, GOD sees...HE is the great Leveler that sweeps his hand over situations, bringing about true peace and harmony, giving eternal compensation for actual wrongs.
Trust...Yield...Wait...He WILL set things to "right"!
Now, armed with a better understanding of who my God is, and how he works (thanks to Him be given) I realize, Uriah is not a "Grumpy Gus" sitting in a corner of heaven while David and Bathsheba dance with their lost son and Solomon in a circle of love...He's dancing with them, saying, "It's all good!" Because God made it ALL GOOD!
Another thing...God did not compensate Uriah by taking a baby. That was between Him and the baby's parents...He compensated Uriah by a very personal application of an old custom, with paternal claims on a future proclamation, "Unto you a child is born, Unto you a Son is given."
What a joy to believe! What a joy to write of this my GREAT GOD, LORD and SAVIOR!
So, in light of all this, I've added another ornament to our Jesse Tree, full of ornaments that represent as much the path of faith as those in the lineage of Christ. Therefore, there is a small sword on our tree, in memory of the 37th "Mighty Man of Valor" mentioned by King David himself in his last words on "Uriah, the Hittite".
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