Devotion - Wednesdy, August 28

My devotional guide has me reading from 2 Samuel, chapters 17 and 18.  Here we find the stories about Absalom.  Son of King David, Absalom rises up against his father and attempts to take over the seat of the King.  For a brief period, he is in charge of Israel.  King David is once more placed in the role of leader of a rebel band of soldiers.  

The battles between the two do not result in the death of either.  Rather, Absalom is riding his mule and he gets his head caught in the thick branches of a great oak tree.  He is hanging there; trapped.  Soldiers loyal to King David see him, and forgetting the King's instructions to "Deal gently" with Absalom, they kill him.

Runners are eager to go and tell David the news.  The father of one of the runners warns him that King David will not be pleased with the news.

He is not.  Upon hearing the news, he speaks words which ring true in the heart of parents.  "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom!  Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

My children have never plotted to overthrow me and take my place (at least to my knowledge).  But they have made some choices which I found to be less than desirable.  If you ask them, they are likely to remember those times, and they may even say to you that I was too hard on them, or too critical, or something of  the sort.  But I hope they would also remember that in the midst of it all, I never spoke a desire to sever my relationship with them.  They are my children.  And the words of King David ring in my ears and resonate in my heart.  Would that my life suffers hardship; not theirs.

You have only just begun the school year, and you may be grateful to be living on your own and no longer sharing a house with your parents.  And, when writing to a large group of persons, it is way too easy to overlook or seem to ignore that among you are those who have serious issues back home - that it may not be the safe place it is for most.  Keeping that in mind, I would encourage you to read 2 Samuel 17 & 18, and realize that wisdom in the Commandment to "Honor your father and mother."  They are the people most likely to help you experience and understand God's unconditional love.

King David speaks for all of us when he acknowledges the depth of his compassion.  We, like him, see our future and our hope and our joy in those who call us "Mother" or "Father."