Devotion
A house divided and father burying his son
David Jacobs

My grandfather was a strict and quiet man. He was a good man and cared deeply for his family, but he rarely shared or showed his emotions. He had 6 children: 4 sons and 2 daughters. The sons, my father and uncles, all had a unique relationship with their father. All of the sons respected their father so much, some trying to follow in his footsteps in their professional choices, others with the way they raised their families. Not much was shared between the father and the sons until my grandfather was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease in his last years.

Suddenly, a lifetime of regret for not saying how he felt came flowing out because he knew he would not have much time left. In the final 2 years of his life, he became closer to his family than the previous 86 years, barely having enough time to share things that he had held deeply for so long.

King David and his son, Absalom, had been fighting for years. Absalom had similar ambitions to his father, wanting the throne for himself. Absalom was charismatic, handsome, and much of the population was willing to fight on his side. In these verses, a large battle draws near, with the armies of David and Absalom meeting to see who will win the throne. However, it seems David's primary concern is that his son should not be harmed in the fray. He has already lost his son, Amnon, at the hands of Absalom, who killed his half-brother for raping his sister. David seems that he cannot bear to lose another, and presumably blames himself for the relationship problems that he has faced in his family. It turns out to be too late: Absalom gets stuck in a tree and one of David's most fearsome soldiers, Joab, kills him. In the final verses, David breaks down, realizing his son is dead, his failures as a father, and that he will not get the chance to share how he felt with Absalom.

Prayer

Learn from these passages! As devotees of Christ, we should bring light into the world. Would you light a lamp and put it under a bowl (Matthew 5:15, Luke 8:16)? Of course not! Share your light with the world, especially with those you love the most. David never got the chance; do not lose yours.