The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you — O Absalom, my son, my son!”
2 Samuel 18:33 NIV
The heart of David is again revealed and this time it is more broken than ever. As a father he has now experienced the rebellion of a son. David has been pursued before by his detractors, but this time it is his son!
No one else understands the grief that David now expresses. The revolt has been ended and the leader killed. This should be good news to the king.
For David this is not an enemy - this is his son.
What parent has not wanted to swap places with their children in order to take away the pain. This story helps me better understand the brokenness of the parent whose child is pictured in the evening news as the criminal. I hear their cries.
In this story, we see the empathy of David. We see the empathy of a parent's heart. We see the empathy that God has for us when we rebel.
Did you also hear the cry of Christ "I did die for you, I did take your place!"
The broken heart of a father extends beyond this realm.
Return to the Father today. It is not too late to end your rebellion.
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