Thursday March 26, 2009 BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE
"Why have you devised something like this against God's people?" she said. "When you say this, you condemn yourself because you haven't brought back the one you banished! We are all going to die; we are all like water that is poured on the ground and can't be gathered up. But doesn't God forgive a person? He never plans to keep a banished person in exile. "I've come to say this to you because the people have frightened me. So I thought, 'I will speak to the king about this. Maybe the king will do something for me, his subject. Maybe the king will listen and rescue me, his subject, from the man who wants to cut off both me and my son from God-given inheritance.' I thought that you would reassure me. You are like God's Messenger, who is able to distinguish right from wrong. May the LORD your God be with you!" 2 Samuel 14:13-17 Yep, David fell for it again. Joab knew of a wise woman and sent her to King David. He even gave her the words to tell about her two sons who had gotten into a huge fight and one of them was killed. She went further and said that the rest of the family wanted the blood of the surviving son and she simply wanted her son to live because he was all she had. David fell for her story hook, line, and sinker. He told her that the son should be protected and restored and that he would see to it himself. You have read her reply. Sibling rivalry is tough; especially when one is clearly in the fault. However, grace is grace. As humans it is hard for us to recognize reconciliation and restoration in the spiritual realm, much less in the physical. However, it is not to be understood, simply obeyed. Our family has definitely had our share of sibling rivalry and it is stronger in blended families than in natural ones. Absalom and Amnon were not full-blooded brothers, they were half-brothers, add to that the fact that Amnon had raped Absalom's sister and you have a good basis for a "made for TV movie." However, since there is a spiritual aspect to the ending, don't expect to find it in sweeps week. David allowed Absalom to return to the Kingdom, but not into his arms. Eventually, Absalom was killed and David mourned horribly, but he learned his lesson. David was a changed man after the death of his son, as we might well expect from a man after God's own heart. Our loving Father left this story in the Bible so that we might learn some really good, hard lessons. Our children will do things that are against everything we have taught them, but we need to have the faith and strength to face their failures. We need to forgive them and allow them to be reconciled to us. Believe me, it isn't easy allowing children to move back in with you when the very reason they have to is because they didn't learn the lessons you tried to teach them. God is mending some broken relationships in our family and I think He is allowing it so you will have hope for yours. No, Jessica cannot move back in with us - the Court Order will not allow it. Yet, this is giving us time to work on our relationship; so far, I think we are doing good. She hasn't done much to work on herself. I'm praying that soon she will wake up to that and do something about it. Father, again I thank You for the life of King David. I know You weren't proud of what happened, but I know You are pleased when we learn from him. Help us share the wisdom. Help us forgive before it's too late to love. ******************************************* O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected] window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
