2 Samuel 13-15

David’s son Absalom begins conspiring to overthrow his father’s rule.  As a result, David and his followers fled Jerusalem.

This passage reads like a modern day spy thriller!

David sent one of his friends back into Jerusalem to report back to him about Absalom’s plans.

It seems that the men in David’s family had a problem with sex.  David himself could not discipline himself to resist Bathsheba.  Then his son Amnon wanted his half sister Tamar — he wanted her so badly that he was literally ill.  Instead of marrying her, he raped her.  When he got what he wanted, he hated her and sent her away.  Ugh.

Amnon’s choices led to his eventual murder.  Tamar’s brother Absalom had him killed….which, in turn, led to animosity between David and Absalom.

Lust is the root of many kinds of evil today…we are not exempt from the same temptations that David and his family faced.  We must be on our guard, not just for ourselves, but also for our children.  What do their little ears hear?  What do their little eyes see?

We used to watch American Idol as family entertainment, but not anymore.  There is nothing valuable about watching Lady GaGa grinding her hips against multiple half-naked men while dressed in fishnet and almost nothing else.  It turns out, that particular segment was actually taped beforehand so the producers could edit out anything that might be considered inappropriate for family entertainment.  The entire segment was inappropriate for this 38-year old to see, much less my 11-year-old daughter.  I shudder still to remember those “dance” moves.

And then there was Ellen’s comeback that was supposed to be funny…after last week’s duet by Casey James and Big Mike, singing the song with the lyrics, “Have you ever really loved a woman,” Ellen said that YES, she has.  Double Ugh.  I was never so grateful for the sunshine and later days as I was then, because my daughter was outside and did not hear Ellen’s comment.  I didn’t have to explain to her what was meant.

I’m seriously glad that we aren’t living back in the 1950s and that I am not expected to clean the house while dressed in a dress with my hair perfectly coiffed and nails done.  But I’ve had it with all the sexual references in everything…from toothpaste commercials to Superbowl half-time performances to internet pop-ups to catalogs.

And I’ve especially had it with people who meet each other on Facebook and then decide to get a divorce.  All because of lust.

(someone close to me just went through a divorce because his wife found an old flame on facebook.  She decided she no longer wanted to be married to him.  Forget responsibility.  Forget the fact that they have three beautiful children who need both parents.  Forget the solemn vow made before the Lord.)

The turmoil in David’s family never went away.  It repeats itself over and over and will continue to do so until Jesus comes back.  It makes me vigilant.  I love my husband and treasure our marriage…and I pray the Lord’s protection over us from that sin that just keeps on going.