For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him. 2 Samuel 14:14, NKJV.
Precious Lord, please keep us close to Your side that our eyes might be opened to the great love You have for us. May we recognize in You the God who does all He can to save us. In the name of Your Son we pray. Amen.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that we serve a God who finds it hard to give up on His creation? The thought just warms my heart! The Great God, self-existing, self-sufficient, all powerful, and mighty to save; yet He will go the second, and third mile, or as many miles that He deems necessary, in order to save us! Merciful Savior!
I often spend a thoughtful moment thinking about how easy, it would have been for God, after human beings sinned, to simply set us aside as useless; and create a new couple. He not only had the power to do this, He also had the right to do it! “The soul that sinneth it shall die” (Ezekiel 18: 4, 20). Besides, God is not accountable to anyone! He is the Sovereign God; Creator, and Redeemer; the beginning and the end! He has the last word in any decision that has to do with His creation; yet He struggles to make sure that “whosoever will, may come,” take of the water of life freely, and drink, until his, or her, thirst is quenched! John 3: 17 assures us that the purpose of Christ coming to the earth, was not to condemn men and women, but that we, through Him might receive salvation!
Our text for today is rather interesting. Absalom had murdered his half-brother Amnon, for raping Tamar, his (Absalom’s) sister, and Amnon’s half-sister. After killing his brother, he runs away to Geshur, and exiles himself there for three years. Joab, the captain of David’s army knows that David is longing to see his son. So he sends for a “wise woman,” the Bible says, “from Tekoa.” She is asked to disguise herself like a widow, who is mourning for her son, wanted for the murder of his brother. There is no one that can plead for a child, like a mother can; and her act is so convincing, that the king, takes an oath, that her son will be allowed to return home, and not die.
After securing the promise from the king himself, she then gently rebukes him for not showing the same mercy toward his own son; by sending for him, and bringing him back home! David the king had sinned against God and man in the most grievious manner! It is his sin that has set all this disorder in motion. Let us not forget my friend, that sin begets more sin; unless it is confessed, and forsaken immediately. And even then, it does not burn itself out. It will keep destroying anything it touches, unless grace extinguishes its deadly flames! Yet David has not shown the same mercy to Absalom. He sends and brings Absalom home; but refuses to see him. We all know the tragic end of that story!
But the most profound message of all is her philosophy of life, in Christ! One day we shall all pass away like water that is spilled on the floor and cannot be taken up again. There is a sad finality to that statement. But thank God; that for those who die in Christ, death is not the final word. She presses the thought to a most beautiful conclusion: God’s final word for sinful human beings, is not that they should be separated from Him forever. Love found the way, that the separation need not be permanent! May we learn to love each other with that determination. May we also devise ways to bring the straying ones back to God, and to safety.