2 Samuel 16-18

Absalom’s rebellion against his father’s reign was cut short — and King David mourned for the loss of the son who had tried to kill him.

The love of a parent for a child is one of the greatest mysteries I’ve ever experienced, and it gives a clue into what the Lord feels for His children.  The depiction in today’s reading is vivid: David’s men defeated Absalom.  The battlefield was chaotic — more men died in the forest than by the sword.  Absolom got his head caught on a tree branch while his donkey kept walking…and David’s men took the opportunity to kill Absalom.

Rather than rejoice that he got his kingdom back, David dissolved into tears when he learned of the death of his son.  Maybe he mourned the times he was off fighting wars instead of being at home being a dad.  Or maybe he looked back to a time when he could have connected better with his son.  Or prayed more for him.  Or all of the above…

As a parent, I want so badly for my child to be godly, to make good decisions, to serve the Lord.  It is hard to watch little ones when they deliberately step over boundaries.  I can’t imagine how it must have been for David!  It’s becoming even harder to watch my tween begin to stretch her wings.

I pray that as she does grow into the young woman God has made her to be, she will not overstep the safety found in the Lord.  Jesus came so that the Absaloms of this world can be saved.  My sweet girl became a believer when she was just barely five years old.  As she grows older, she naturally has questions that I do my best to answer, and when I don’t have one, we look for one together. Being her mom is a privilege, and I pray that I will never, ever hinder the Lord’s work in her life.