“My
Son Absalom!” by Melanie Rigney (@melanierigney)
“My son Absalom! My son,
my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!” (2
Samuel 19:1)
Listen, Lord, and answer me! (Psalm
86:1a)
He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a
child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that, they were utterly
astounded. (Mark 5:41:42)
Piety
Father, help me to appreciate the
awesome of Your love, most especially when I know I don’t deserve it. Help me
get back on the path You desire for me.
Study
Consider the life and death of
Absalom.
He was David’s third son and
possibly his favorite of his older group of sons. He inherited David’s good
looks—and other less admirable attributions. Angered by the rape of his sister
by one of their half-brothers, Absalom waited two years, then killed the
half-brother. Three years in self-imposed exile followed before David welcomed
him back home. When he did, things went from bad to worse, with Absalom leading
a revolt against his father that seemed headed for success, until a particular
battle in which David’s forces prevailed. Then that gorgeous long hair of
Absalom’s resulted in his doom. It got tangled in a tree as he rode underneath
it, and David’s commander, despite specific orders to take the young man alive,
killed him.
David’s mournful cry when he hears
the news touches our hearts and souls. It’s the pain of a parent who deeply
loves the child, regardless of all the treachery and conniving that came
between them. It’s about loss that can never be regained, loss that never had
to happen.
Yes, consider the life and death of
Absalom. And consider how our own treachery and conniving, even on a smaller
scale, grieves God.
There’s one important difference.
We can stop the grief today by
stopping the actions that offend Him. We can love instead of hating, embrace
instead of shunning, accept instead of rejecting. If we can’t do it for ourselves,
let’s do it for Him.
Action
Disentangle your soul from that
place that keeps you from the full reunion with the Father.
Image Credit: Gustave Doré [Public
domain]
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