SUNDAY 31 July, 2016
A Languishing Lament
Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: “O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!” - 2 Samuel 18:33
When King David heard the news of Absalom’s death; he was devastated and began to loudly weep. As a father, he was broken hearted and completely inconsolable; he languished in his lament for Absalom: O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom… He knew he had reaped bitterly in the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba.
Grief weighed heavily on the heart of the king and in further anguish he uttered: if only I had died in your place!Notice that––do you think he loved him? Of course, as any parent would, despite what Absalom had done. David’s words expressed just how much he had unconditionally loved his son even though he had been such a thorn in the flesh to his father.
Who does David’s exclamation remind you of? It expresses what Jesus did––He died in our place! At one time we were His enemies, separated from Him by our sin, but God still loved us and planned a way to bring us salvation. The only way was for His Son to be our substitute.
Romans 5:8 is a revelation of His plan: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:9-10 explains:…we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son… having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
God is our loving Father (1 John 3:1). Imagine, there is not a person in the entire world that God has not extended His love to. He sent His Son to die for every man, woman and child on the planet!
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
~John 3:16~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!
