Wednesday 17 April, 2013

Page Options Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email << < = = > >> 19 Ahimaaz said to Joab, “Let me run and take the news to the king. Let me tell him that the Lord has saved him from the power of his enemies.” Ahimaaz was the son of Zadok. 20 “I don’t want you to take the news to the king today,” Joab told him. “You can do it some other time. But you must not do it today, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to a man from Cush, “Go. Tell the king what you have seen.” The man bowed down in front of Joab. Then he ran off. 22 Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, spoke again to Joab. He said, “I don’t care what happens to me. Please let me run behind the man from Cush.” But Joab replied, “My son, why do you want to go? You don’t have any news that will bring you a reward.” 23 He said, “I don’t care what happens. I want to run.” So Joab said, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran across the flatlands of the Jordan River. As he ran, he passed the man from Cush. 24 David was sitting in the area between the inner and outer gates of the city. The man on guard duty went up to the roof over the entrance of the gate by the wall. As he looked out, he saw someone running alone. 25 He called out to the king and reported it. The king said, “If the runner is alone, he must be bringing good news.” The man came closer and closer. 26 Then the man on guard duty saw another man running. He called out to the man who was guarding the gate. He said, “Look! There’s another man running alone!” The king said, “He must be bringing good news too.” 27 The man on guard duty said, “I can see that the first one runs like Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.” “He’s a good man,” the king said. “He’s bringing good news.” 28 Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “Everything’s all right!” He bowed down in front of the king with his face toward the ground. He said, “You are my king and master. Give praise to the Lord your God! He has handed over to you the men who lifted their hands to kill you.” 29 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “I saw total disorder. I saw it just as Joab was about to send the king’s servant and me to you. But I don’t know what it was all about.” 30 The king said, “Stand over there and wait.” So he stepped over to one side and stood there. 31 Then the man from Cush arrived. He said, “You are my king and master. I’m bringing you some good news. The Lord has saved you today from all those who were trying to kill you.” 32 The king asked the man from Cush, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” The man replied, “King David, may your enemies be like that young man. May all those who rise up to harm you be like him.” 33 The king was very upset. He went up to the room over the entrance of the gate and sobbed. As he went, he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you. Absalom! My son, my son!” 19 Someone told Joab, “The king is sobbing over Absalom. He’s filled with sadness because his son has died.” 2 The army had won a great battle that day. But their joy turned into sadness. That’s because someone had told the troops, “The king is filled with sorrow because his son is dead.” 3 The men came quietly into the city that day. They were like fighting men who are ashamed because they’ve run away from a battle. 4 The king covered his face. He sobbed out loud, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab went into the king’s house. He said to him, “Today you have made all of your men feel ashamed. They have just saved your life. They have saved the lives of your sons and daughters. And they have saved the lives of your wives and concubines. 6 “You love those who hate you. You hate those who love you. The commanders and their troops don’t mean anything to you. You made that very clear today. I can see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. 7 “Now go out there and cheer up your men. If you don’t, you won’t have any of them left with you by sunset. That will be worse for you than all of the troubles you have ever had in your whole life. That’s what I promise you with an oath in the Lord’s name.” 8 So the king got up and took his seat in the entrance of the city gate. His men were told, “The king is sitting in the entrance of the gate.” Then all of them came and stood in front of him. While all of that was going on, the Israelites had run back to their homes.

It would seem David wanted to be king and have his son Absalom still alive.  I’m not sure that the two are compatible! Absalom was both David’s son and enemy.  A heart wrenching and difficult situation. Both David and Absalom wanted to be king but of course there could only be one king of Israel – God’s chosen king

at that time was David.

God calls each of us to certain things and there will undoubtedly be sacrifices to be made along the way.  For David this was extreme in the loss of his son who turned traitor and then died in battle.  There will be times in life that we are called to give up certain things, to let them go, even relationships as they prevent us from being all God  has called us to be.  It’s good to take stock and examine our loyalties  – are our hearts aligned with the enemy or with God’s purpose?

Dear Lord, help me to follow you

closely and give me strength to let go of things/relationships that entangle my heart and take me off course, Amen.

 

Written by Ainslie Woods