Turning the World Upside Down--Aug. 2, 2013

 O God, your people have been turning the world upside down.

You were with David, for the forty years he was the king.

In worldly terms David became greater and greater.

Yet we take no pride in rulers, nor in years they reign,

nor in their armaments--our pride is in your name

and in the name of Jesus, who did everything

well, who turned everything upside down.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 88; 148; 6; 20

2 Sam. 5:1-12

Acts 17:1-15

Mark 7:24-37

Selected Verses

Ps. 20:7

Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
          but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.

2 Sam. 5:4, 10

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years. … And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.

Acts 17:6

When [the mob] could not find [Paul and Silas], they dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, “These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also…"

Mark 7:37

[The people in Decapolis] were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”