2 Samuel 18:1-5: a reflection

1David counted the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2David sent the people out, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, “I will also surely go out with you myself.” 3But the people said, “You shall not go out, for if we flee away, they will not care for us, neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.” 4The king said to them, “I will do what seems best to you.” The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.

As David sends his army out to battle against the forces of his rebellious son Absalom, who has driven him from his throne and sought his life, David's last command reveals a father's heart that rebellion could not harden. The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. Absalom had betrayed him, warred against him, sought to kill him; yet David, the wronged father, pleads for him to be dealt with gently. His love for his son survived the rebellion; even as he sent his men to defeat Absalom's forces, his heart was tender toward the son who had wronged him. The father's love was not undone by the child's rebellion.

Notice the tenderness of David's love for his rebellious son. Absalom had done David every wrong a son could do, betraying him, seizing his throne, seeking his life; by every reckoning, David had cause to hate him. Yet David's command was, deal gently with the young man Absalom. His love for his son was not undone by the rebellion; even the son who had wronged him so grievously was still his child, still loved, still the object of his tender concern. The father's heart yearned for the rebellious son even as it opposed his rebellion. David's love survived every wrong; the rebellion could not harden the father's heart against his child. He still loved the son who had betrayed him.

That tender love points to a greater love, for God is a Father whose love survives our rebellion. We can rebel against God, wrong him, turn from him; and we can imagine that our rebellion has surely ended his love, hardened him against us. But David's love for the rebellious Absalom, tender even in the midst of the rebellion, points to God's love for us, a Father's love that our rebellion does not undo. God's heart remains tender toward his rebellious children, still loving, still yearning for them. When you have rebelled against God and fear his love is gone, remember that God is a Father whose love survives our rebellion, as David loved the son who betrayed him. Take comfort that God is a Father whose love survives our rebellion, still tender toward his wayward children, as David pleaded that his rebellious son Absalom be dealt with gently for his sake; for even the son who had wronged him was still loved by his father, and God's love for us as our Father is not undone by our rebellion but yearns still for his wayward children.

Lord, as David sends his army out to battle against the forces of his rebellious son Absalom, who has driven him from his throne and sought his life, David's last command reveals a father's heart that rebellion could not harden. The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. Absalom had betrayed him, warred against him, sought to kill him; yet David, the wronged father, pleads for him to be dealt with gently. His love for his son survived the rebellion. Show me the tenderness of David's love for his rebellious son. Absalom had done David every wrong a son could do; by every reckoning, David had cause to hate him. Yet David's command was, deal gently with the young man Absalom. His love for his son was not undone by the rebellion; even the son who had wronged him so grievously was still his child, still loved. The father's heart yearned for the rebellious son even as it opposed his rebellion. David's love survived every wrong. Let that tender love point me to a greater love, for you are a Father whose love survives our rebellion. I can rebel against you, wrong you, turn from you; and I can imagine that my rebellion has surely ended your love, hardened you against me. But David's love for the rebellious Absalom points to your love for me, a Father's love that my rebellion does not undo. Your heart remains tender toward your rebellious children. When I have rebelled against you and fear your love is gone, help me remember that you are a Father whose love survives our rebellion, Lord, as David loved the son who betrayed him, and help me take comfort that your love for me as my Father yearns still for me even when I have been wayward.