May
19
Written by:
Henrik
5/19/2010 7:00 AM
by Steve Pelton
It should be clear to us that God wants broken relationships to be healed. Our passage today says as much (2 Samuel 14:14). He wants reconciliation, and to have the reconciled people turn back to him. But, as is usually the case, what stands in the way of such healing is us. Bitterness may have set in, perhaps anger has taken control, or perhaps there is an assumption that the hurt that has occurred is so deep that nothing could ever take it away. We want to run things, and we want to hold onto our resentment and hurt. It seems easier, and at times, almost comforting. It’s because we’re in control, and we determine when or if a relationship is to be healed. And sometimes, holding that grudge just feels right, as bad as it sounds. All the more reason to understand how desperately we need God to heal us. And often, it takes God to show us how mired we are in our anger and resentment. We may not even see for ourselves how our broken relationships are eating away at us. We need that wakeup call, that dash of cold water, to turn our attentions.
What happens to King David is so necessary for us to hear today. While his story and ours certainly would have their differences, the ultimate purpose of the story, the purpose of bringing healing into a family, is something that can resonate with so many of us. And, like David, we need God’s hand in the situation, to show us how we have gone wrong, and to point us back in a direction that pleases him. It’s not easy to admit that we’re selfish, or angry, or hurt, and we may react negatively if someone were to point it out to us. But it’s at times like that when God may be moving in our situation. It might be right then that God is giving us that dash of cold water. God gives David that cold water, making him realize what he had been doing to keep his own son away from him. It doesn’t seem like a typical confrontation, but perhaps that was what David needed, something seeming “out of the blue” to wake him up to a realization of what was happening. God often surprises us, because we need to be surprised.
So as we read this passage, I hope that we see God speak to David, and that we stay mindful to the ways that God may be speaking to us, calling us back from anger or despair, and preparing our hearts for reconciliation and healing.
A fellow traveler,
Steve
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1 comment(s) so far...
Re: 2 Samuel 14:1-24; Matthew 5:9 : Family Reconciliation
Steve,
I sent your thoughts to a family member who is struggling with this issue and she was most appreciative. God really spoke to her heart through this so, thank you!
By Mary Ayala on
5/21/2010 6:59 AM
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