Daily Devotions
A Plea to All Parents
Reading for April 9th: 2 Samuel 16-18
And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
2 Samuel 18:33
There is quite a contrast in the reaction of David to the deaths of two of his sons. When the infant died (2 Sam 12), David had a sense of peace. In the death of Absalom (2 Sam 18), there is sheer agony. Why the difference?
The difference lies in the eternal prospects of each son. With his infant son David could confidently say, "I shall go to him, but he will not return to me" (2 Sam 12:23), but with Absalom he could say that. Absalom died in rebellion against the Lord.
This is not a pleasant devotion to write. I know several Davids who have lost Absaloms and been brought to this kind of grief. I realize that to some this devotion is pulling the scab off a painful wound.
But though it is difficult, this is something I am compelled to write. The tragic story of Absalom is preserved for a reason (1 Cor 10:6, 11). We must learn from the mistakes of the past. Though it would be wrong to lay all the blame at the feet of David (nor other parents who have lost their children to the world), much of David's grief sprang from his personal responsibility in Absalom's demise.
So I make a heartfelt plea to all parents... If you are presently living in rebellion against God, realize what you are doing to your kids! Though you might be fooling others, you are not fooling your children. They are good at spotting hypocrisy. They know when their parents are faking it.
Get real with God! Confess your sins to him.
Get real with your kids! Don't try to fool them. Admit your failures to them. Confess whatever needs to be confessed. You'll be surprised how forgiving they will be.
REPENT!
Don't wait another day. Do it now! Do it for your own sake! Do it for your children's sake!
Father, help us to see beyond the trivial issues of this life to what matters most. Give us the courage to repent, no matter what the cost, and be spiritual leaders in our homes!
