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8th July
2 Samuel 17:1-16. Absalom decides to pursue David
- Absalom did what any sensible person would do when faced with a difficult decision; he took advice and also got a second opinion. The horror hits home when we reflect on the fact that the decision was about how best to kill his father.
- Filial loathing, treachery and skulduggery in a nation torn apart by the pursuit of power—isn’t it strange to find such skeletons rattling around in Jesus’ ancestral cupboard! Not only was the nation divided but a family was at odds with itself; what depths of bitterness are required for someone to calmly take advice about how to do away with his dad (although at that time this sort of behaviour on the part of royal sons was by no means unknown)?
- What the writer of this story wants us to understand, however, is that in all of this complete mess God was still working his purpose out (v.14b). It seems impossible, doesn’t it—how can God get involved in this grand deception of Hushai? We can’t always understand the ways of God but we can take comfort in that what eventually happened, albeit centuries later, as a result of this and the rest of David’s story, was the arrival of Jesus, the son of David, our Lord and Saviour.
- There are times in our lives when we wonder what God is up to; when we simply cannot understand what is happening to us. In such times we need to trust God, who used some less than perfect people and, in the fullness of time, gave us his perfect Son Jesus. He, unlike David, did not infiltrate the enemy camp to get himself off the hook but was obedient to death – even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). If we stop and listen to him, he will give us the very best of advice!
- To consider
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- Have you ever witnessed, or been in, a family quarrel? What advice would you give to both David and Absalom to settle their differences?
- Where should we, as Christians, go for good advice?
- Prayer
- Lord help me to trust in your love even when things happen to me that I don’t understand. Amen.
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