My Family

My Family
My Family

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Relational Pain

Pastor JD continued our talks of David tonight with a sermon on David and Absalom.  Absalom and David had a broken relationship, broken because of the confusion of David's disengagement from his own family.  Tamar was Absalom's sister and was raped by her half-brother.  David did nothing.  He said nothing.  Absalom couldn't believe this giant-slayer let his half-brother get away with this transgression.  Absalom took in his sister and she lived with him despite her scorn.  Absalom plotted and killed the half-brother who raped his sister and David was incensed and would not speak to Absalom for five years.  So Absalom plotted to overthrow King David and slept with wives left behind at the palace when David fled in disgrace.  As David fled one of Saul's family members cast stones at him and threw dirt on him and cursed him.  David felt he had lost God's favor and didn't deserve anything better than this and didn't allow his servants to stop the man.  David regained his composure and fought back against Absalom but ordered that no harm be done unto his son; however, Absalom was hung by his hair in the battle as he fled and was stabbed to death.  David mourned the loss of Absalom crying out for his lost son in great agony. 
So why is this story in the Bible?  It is there to give us hope of the new King, the King who has stripped sin of its sting.  Relational pain is still there but God's grace can free you from the paralysis of guilt.  Jesus did for us, as His sons and daughters, what David could not do for his own children.  Jesus saves us; David could not save Absalom.  Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose."  This doesn't make anything that we go through easier to deal with or the consequences of our sin easier to accept but it does mean there is forgiveness for those who are in Christ Jesus and walk after Him. 

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