May 29

II Samuel 14:1-15:22, John 18:1-24, Psalm 119:97-112, Proverbs 16:8-9

Pray: Father, family can be messy. And hurting people hurt people. Help me to forgive quickly and leave judgment in your hands. Remind me that blessed are the peacemakers. Help me to reconcile.

Read: Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her. Amnon became so obsessed with Tamar that he became ill. She was a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her. (II Sam. 13:1-2) Amnon later raped and then rejected his half sister Tamar. Humiliated and cast off Tamar retreated to her brother Absalom’s home and there lived in isolation.

Years passed, King David took no action against Amnon, but Absalom did. Absalom’s men killed Amnon one night while he was in a drunken stupor. Absalom then had to flee the presence of King David. “But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.” (II Sam. 14:15)

What a mess! Tamar is raped and rejected by Amnon who possibly could have married her if he had gone about things the right way. Her brother Absalom is consumed by hate and revenge. King David loses a son who had broken the laws of Israel. And Absalom had lost respect for his father, King David.

Does this sound like your family mess? Does it sound like my family mess? The Bible is real. We get the big, the bad, and the ugly. We get real world brokenness. But there is hope! God devises ways to bring us back together! RECONCILIATION is God’s plan. Look for it. Pray for it.

Edify: Understanding the war helps us fight the battles. The goal is reconciliation and restoration. The battles take all forms. Some might be called bizarre. Some might be deemed devastating. But don’t lose sight of the God who calls us unto Himself even when we have gone our own way.

Practice: When we say in our hearts that reconciliation is not possible or that we will never forgive and reunite, then we are lining up against God. Looking for God? Then always be looking for reconciliation.