Father love.....

....been watching David over the past few days....      

- A great warrior   
- A great man of decision    
- A man after 'God's own heart'    
and yet....        

When it came to his own family it seems he was
strangely paralyzed
unable, unwilling to do justice or do kindness
One son rapes his daughter....nothing
Another son murders the rapest
nothing....
After years of self exile tells the son to come 'home'
but refuses to see or talk to him....
and finally when he is 'forced' to acknowledge him
the son takes advantage of it
and swings political favour to himself.
Amnon,
Absalom

Easy to look and see where David 'shoulda, coulda'
but 'failed'

Finally in the midst of civil war dividing the country
Absalom is killed
and David griefs for him (read about it in 2 Samuel 18:5-33)
I see it.
I get it....

David loved his kids.

Loved them beyond his own life or even the Kingdom
Loved them with little regard to right or wrong...

and yet
he didn't actually help them

Loving them without correction
actually sealed their fate
it actually killed them....

Lord
You take me to the heart of the issue
Those I love
the children you have given me...

This love You place in my Father's heart
This love You have for those who have strayed and left the path
that You would send Your own son
to rescue me
a sinner.

to create a new heart in me
Righteousness
instead of
my
mess.

You changed my destination from
death
to
life.

Oh the riches
and wonder
of the plans You have
for the Son's of men

You O Lord
are gracious
and forgiving
and kind hearted
not willing that any would parish.

and You make a way
for the exiled to return

By paying the price
....Yourself.

and now
You give me
what it takes
to love that way.....

Thank You.

PJ