2 Samuel 14 – A Heart for Reconciliation

Ever have two people you cared about become estranged from one another? It’s awkward and heartbreaking. You care about both of them, but the tension between them is stifling. You end up spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to get the two of them back together.

This is the atmosphere of 2 Samuel chapter 14. Joab (King David’s general) longs to see David and his son Absalom reconciled. It hurts him to see the divide between them…especially knowing how much it hurt the heart of the king.

And so Joab goes to great lengths (and some personal risk) to help King David see the issue from a different angle and hopefully soften his heart toward Absalom. And Joab doesn’t give up. First, he gets the two of them to move closer by getting David to agree to allow Absalom to move back to Jerusalem. Then, after some prodding, Joab gets David to agree to see Absalom, bringing them together face to face.

Joab had the desire and the perseverance to see the king reconciled to his son because he knew that this was really the king’s desire. And Joab risked his personal and professional standing for the sake of that reconciliation.

Joab personifies who and how we’re supposed to be. Knowing that our king longs to be reconciled with His children, we should invest ourselves to the point of risk in order to facilitate such reconciliation between our King and those who are estranged from Him. (2 Cor. 5:18-21)

When Marriages Go To War

Toy Soldiers 250x250I heard an interview the other day with a doctor who had gone to Syria to take care of children caught in the war there.  The doctor spoke of children and families being torn apart, physically, emotionally and relationally by the on-going war.  There may be times when war is unavoidable, but it’s never good.

The same is true when marriages “got to war.”

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