The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Samuel 14:14,
"Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him."
This very remarkable statement was made by a "wise woman" sent by Joab to King David as a part of a plan to resolve Absalom's estrangement from the king. David's son, Absalom, had killed another son of David, his half-brother Amnon, to avenge Amnon's rape of his sister, Tamar.
Where it was Joab's intent to bring a reconciliation between David and Absalom, because of David's longing for him, he had arranged for this wise woman from Tekoa to approach David and told her what to say.
This statement clearly portrays God's perspective on another, much larger estrangement, with a strong desire on the part of the one in the "authority role" to reconcile where sin had separated. Where David's heart longed for Absalom, who had sinned against the family by killing a son, so God's heart longs for us, who have sinned against him in our rebellion against him, going all the way back to the garden of Eden.
God longs to reconcile with each and every one of us. Paul points to this in 1 Timothy 2:3-6a, "This [prayer] is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people." This is God's method for reconciling all people to himself.
I am reminded of 2 Peter 3:8-9, "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Although we will all die a physical death due to sin, God desires a reconciliation with us that we not die a spiritual death for eternity.
"Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him."
This very remarkable statement was made by a "wise woman" sent by Joab to King David as a part of a plan to resolve Absalom's estrangement from the king. David's son, Absalom, had killed another son of David, his half-brother Amnon, to avenge Amnon's rape of his sister, Tamar.
Where it was Joab's intent to bring a reconciliation between David and Absalom, because of David's longing for him, he had arranged for this wise woman from Tekoa to approach David and told her what to say.
This statement clearly portrays God's perspective on another, much larger estrangement, with a strong desire on the part of the one in the "authority role" to reconcile where sin had separated. Where David's heart longed for Absalom, who had sinned against the family by killing a son, so God's heart longs for us, who have sinned against him in our rebellion against him, going all the way back to the garden of Eden.
God longs to reconcile with each and every one of us. Paul points to this in 1 Timothy 2:3-6a, "This [prayer] is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people." This is God's method for reconciling all people to himself.
I am reminded of 2 Peter 3:8-9, "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Although we will all die a physical death due to sin, God desires a reconciliation with us that we not die a spiritual death for eternity.
He wants each and every one of us for himself! He has done the heavy lifting by having his Son, Jesus Christ, pay for all the sins of ever person for all time. All he asks is that we trust in him, place our faith in him.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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