This morning is the third in our series about psalms and the summer songbook, taking popular summer songs and psalms to tell us about the character of God. We looked at the beginning of the month at the Dancing in the Street as we examined the worthiness of God to be praised. Last week, Jamie preached on the faithfulness of God in the midst of challenges, including the powerful story of Bob and his wife from Union Beach. If you did not get a chance to hear it last week, please listen or read it on the website. A powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness, from the very character of who God is. Thank you, Jamie! Today, we take a look at the mercy of our God.
It was one of the beautiful beach days. You know, the kind? Blue sky above, a few white puffy clouds dotting the sky, warm sun, light breeze. We were there with extended family and had a spot in the sand. The blanket was laid out, the umbrellas were up. Chairs were set out, drinks and snacks were cooled, books were tucked in a non-sandy spot – are there any? All that was left was venturing into the waves.
A whole bunch of us started with the gentle toe dipping into the waves. A few brave ones ran right into the waves as if fear was no object. Over time, we were all out in the waves, passed the breaking point. We were bouncing nicely along, talking and enjoying the day. When someone began talking about how fun it would be to ride the waves, body surf style. One by one, we tried a turn. It was fun to watch the others. When it was my turn, I eagerly tried to do what I had seen the others do. I thought I had learned well from them. It happened quickly. The wave came up, I started paddling, and in I went, like the wave and I were one. Until my poor twelve-year-old legs got tangled up in the waves, tossed me up and threw me down hard on the sand – WIPEOUT!
It was certainly not the last time I felt the excitement of the lift of the waves, the quickness of the water’s movement, and the spilling of riding the waves. In years to follow, I have body surfed many times, enjoying the thrill of the water and the unpredictability of that moment in which the waves might throw you against the sand or release you to the shore.
It was this moment that Bob Berryhill, Pat Connolly, Jim Fuller, and Ron Wilson were thinking of when they wrote the twelve bar blues instrumental song that we call “Wipeout”. They wrote the tune almost on the spot, as a suitable B-side was needed for the intended “Surfer Joe” single. One of the band members suggested that a gimmick sound indicating a wipe out off a surfboard be emulated. The suggestion was made that during the introduction before the music starts, a cracking sound, imitating a breaking surfboard, should be made. This followed by a manic voice babbling, “ha ha ha ha ha, wipe out.” It was the Surfaris who made the song popular, starting in 1963 . The song – both the Surfaris’ version as well as cover versions – has been featured in over 20 films and television series since 1964, appearing at least once a decade.
As the kids said at VBS, “Hit it, BOB!” (Bob plays wipeout) Thank you, Bob!
Wipeout is the moment, sometimes filled with incredible pain of falling out the of waves and slamming onto the sand. Wipeout is the moment of crashing down for the thrill and excitement. Wipeout can be a harsh reality.
Our lesson from second Samuel follows the David story that we have been hearing this summer in our scripture lessons. King David, who desired Bathsheba, sought her out, seduced her, and perhaps even raped her – got his own way, regardless of other people. He even went as far as to have Uriah, this faithful military commander and husband of Bathsheba, killed so that he might justify his own actions. He was caught up in the excitement of power, the seeming invincibility of being King and getting all that he wanted. He was not able to see his own sin. He was not able to see how his selfishness crushed and literally killed others. It took the clever confrontation of the prophet Nathan for David to see the atrocities he had committed. Nathan follows the instructions of God for whom he speaks. He lays out a tale for the King, a tale of two men, a rich and a poor man. He paints a visual picture of the poor man’s devotion to his one ewe, caring for it, feeding it, loving it as a member of his family. Can’t you imagine King David drawn into the tale? Then Nathan weaves a twist in which the rich man does not take one of his many sheep to be slaughtered for a traveler, but takes the poor man’s lamb for his meal. David, who has tracked the story and felt compassion for the poor man, is enraged at the actions of the rich man.
In his action, King David calls for the death of such a callous and unfeeling man. Here, Nathan is clever, calculated, and brave. He shifts the story to David’s sin in a single sentence – YOU ARE THE MAN! His sin is called out; the power that led David away from God has come crashing down around his head – WIPEOUT! We hear David’s response in Psalm 51. With the words of the poet, David does not feel sorry for himself or try to deflect the blame for his actions. He repents and calls upon the mercy of God. Psalm 51 is the lectionary psalm for Ash Wednesday. The liturgical day in which we repent and call upon the mercy of God as we prepare our hearts to become more like God.
What I remember most from those wipeouts are the seconds right before being battered on the shoreline, when everything seemed absolutely right and thrilling. The excitement of the moment and the desire to do it again and again and again. And then the complete shock of being tossed and slammed by the sea. Was this not how the sin of David was? What righteous indignation that David had kindled against Uriah as he coveted Bathsheba. What righteous indignation David had felt against the rich man in the story before he discovered that it was him. In the thrill of the moment, David was sure the he knew best and he was following the right path, until the moment that his life was shattered and his sin was known to him.
God could have treated David with the same disregard that David gave to Uriah. God could have condemned and enacted rage against David. David had messed up, but good! But God’s response is one of the accountability and mercy. God’s mercy offers David a way forward – an opportunity to live as a disciple, not as a prisoner of his own actions. Our God, the God of mercy, did not throw him upon the shore and cause him to experience pain in proportion for the pain he had caused to others – NO!
David describes the ways of God like this, from Psalm 51, verses 6-12. “You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.” God’s mercies were known to even David. God’s mercies were generous and complete, even expunging this sinful record and carrying him down a new path of a clean heart with a new and right spirit. These mercies are not for David alone, they are the very character of God.
Have you had a moment with Nathan? Have you been confronted by the actions that you have done that hurt others? Have your eyes been opened to a way in which your sin has distanced not only yourself from God, but perhaps others? Where are you being convicted today of the need to repent of your sin and seek God’s mercy? It was the other day when I heard my words in the mouths of my children, that I heard anew – YOU ARE THE ONE! Perhaps for you it was in the mouth of a friend who took you aside. Perhaps it was the actions of a spouse or the story of a coworker. You and I have missed the mark. We have known and sought the thrill and excitement of power and invincibility. We have imagined that our character was not formed in the times when no one could see what we were doing. We have abused our privileges and denied our connection and commitment to others. We have failed and need to ask God to create in us new hearts. We need to acknowledge our own wipeouts and lean on the mercy of God. Let the God of mercy forgive you as you repent of your sin and inspire changes in your heart and actions as you change your ways going forward.
Let us pray together:
Merciful God, the psalmist reminds us that your mercies are new every morning. There is a freshness and longevity to your commitment to us. You have loved us since the moment our lives began. You have cared well for us across our lives. And yet, your mercies and compassion are new each day with the exasperation we might have. Lord, we have all missed the mark on being disciples of Jesus Christ. We have judged and condemned. We have avoided justice and turned our back on mercies we might have extended to others. We cobbled together excuses and found ourselves righteously indignant. Forgive us, we pray. Return us to the joy of your salvation. Recall in us your love and compassion, joy and peace. Guide us in your mercy as we seek to be your people. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Old Testament Lesson: 2 Samuel 12:1-7
But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord, and the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.” 5 Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; 6 he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul.
Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.
You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.