“Sweet Jesus” is spoken many times in the musical I am watching (about 3/4 thru now) sometimes as a prayer but sometimes as a swear and sometimes as a mockery of the one who said it all the time – “Sweet Jesus” is spoken by the Congressional custodian Andrew McNair – played by a particular actor who played it in the musical on stage and then in this 1972 movie version – he is so good at his role. Ben Franklin (a hilarious portrayal) says it once too – but it is the custodian who is very importantly saying it in frustration and disbelief. And I think he is also saying it in “I can’t believe it – I need some help here in believing this terrible stuff”…

And so in this musical, the song that drew dramatic attention is: “Oh Momma, Look Sharp” – a poignant song about young people in war – both musical 1776 and emotional reality 1776 war – about a sore subject we don’t talk enough about in that war – nor in 4th of July frivolities and fun. So in this musical, it is sung by a young soldier who is a courier back and forth with dispatch letters from General Washington from the field – or from other war places. The young courier speaks about his 2 young friends dying in Lexington (The shot heard ’round the world) – and their momma’s running to find them when they didn’t come home that night. Oh – ugh – awful thought…

Yeah, war brings death – of young folks – of momma’s sons. Sweet Jesus, we will never understand war or wars from a humanitarian side – but we do know war – and we do sadly understand death and the sting felt by those left behind.

Sweet Jesus we say that in disbelief of so much suffering and death in this world – the beginning of sin – the Cain killed Abel disruption – the dark prince of this world – the evil uproars that cause differences in people who should live in harmony – and the unknown of why we are the way we are. This is where we need you Sweet Jesus, Prince of Peace.

I cannot make any philosophical and intellectual professions of understanding or defending or not defending war, not going to try to engage in debate. And just as a audience member of the movie – they speak of a tyrant who is king – and that when a king becomes a tyrant, people will reject this person as not their king.  In scripture in the old testament, God warned against putting human kings into the equation of earth – not to want an earthly king – God knew the consequences. And God “I AM” Sovereign really wanted (and wants) the people to understand Him as their King – and their everything – and yet the people rejected (and reject) Him.

The people in Samuel’s time (before King Saul was picked) said “No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

God IS the one who judges and goes out before us and fights our battles. We must remember that “God’s got this”…

Sad for the ones who don’t know that when we reject not only God as sovereign but also reject the Salvation offered by Jesus’s sacrifice, we reject the opportunity to be saved – and we do want salvation, right? Given as a price paid by Jesus – offered to us – we do want this. Sweet Jesus thank you for this gift!

We pray in any war on any year or any day of any era of time – that the Lord will see us through – He Will – and we pray that we remember to focus on the ONE who saves: Sweet Jesus.

Sweet Jesus.

Amen

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1 Samuel 8 NKJV

Israel Demands a King
Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”

Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord. So the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”