It's Complicated (S2): WK 6 - WED
2 Samuel 18:16-18
16 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men returned from chasing the army of Israel.
17 They threw Absalom’s body into a deep pit in the forest and piled a great heap of
stones over it. And all Israel fled to their homes.
18 During his lifetime, Absalom had built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley, for he
said, “I have no son to carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself,
and it is known as Absalom’s Monument to this day.
Joab, the soldier, was quick to end the resolution. He blows the ram's horn to signify that the war is over. He has no lost love for Absalom. Despite the king’s wishes, he has not only killed Absalom, he buries him quickly, sending the message to those that sided with Absalom that their end will be similar if they don’t surrender.
Absalom’s story is a tragedy. A favored son of the king, had everything going for him, until a horrible event happened to his sister, whom he loved. Soon, Absalom is overcome with anger, hatred, bitterness and resentment, and so he seeks to take his revenge on the one person who should have protected his sister, his father. Though he has charisma and can attract followers, his father is the chosen leader and though Absalom could have done great things, his life ends far too soon. Absalom was meant to be heir to the throne, but instead, he allowed his circumstances to define him, control him, and rob him of his future.
How many times in life do we let our circumstances define us? Maybe it’s our social class, or our job, or our families past, or an illness, or some other circumstance. Our growth and potential gets halted because we think we are little more than the things that have happened to us.
If only we could see ourselves through the eyes of our Creator. If only we could learn to trust in the one who knit us together in our mother’s womb. If only we could forgive ourselves for our past mistakes, like the Lord forgives us. God has so much in store for each and every one of us if we could simply put our trust in Him and let Him define us.
See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! (I John 3:1, NLT)
1. What are some of the ways in which you’ve allowed the world to define you?
2. What would it take for you to come to trust in the Father and His definition of you?
16 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men returned from chasing the army of Israel.
17 They threw Absalom’s body into a deep pit in the forest and piled a great heap of
stones over it. And all Israel fled to their homes.
18 During his lifetime, Absalom had built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley, for he
said, “I have no son to carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself,
and it is known as Absalom’s Monument to this day.
Joab, the soldier, was quick to end the resolution. He blows the ram's horn to signify that the war is over. He has no lost love for Absalom. Despite the king’s wishes, he has not only killed Absalom, he buries him quickly, sending the message to those that sided with Absalom that their end will be similar if they don’t surrender.
Absalom’s story is a tragedy. A favored son of the king, had everything going for him, until a horrible event happened to his sister, whom he loved. Soon, Absalom is overcome with anger, hatred, bitterness and resentment, and so he seeks to take his revenge on the one person who should have protected his sister, his father. Though he has charisma and can attract followers, his father is the chosen leader and though Absalom could have done great things, his life ends far too soon. Absalom was meant to be heir to the throne, but instead, he allowed his circumstances to define him, control him, and rob him of his future.
How many times in life do we let our circumstances define us? Maybe it’s our social class, or our job, or our families past, or an illness, or some other circumstance. Our growth and potential gets halted because we think we are little more than the things that have happened to us.
If only we could see ourselves through the eyes of our Creator. If only we could learn to trust in the one who knit us together in our mother’s womb. If only we could forgive ourselves for our past mistakes, like the Lord forgives us. God has so much in store for each and every one of us if we could simply put our trust in Him and let Him define us.
See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! (I John 3:1, NLT)
1. What are some of the ways in which you’ve allowed the world to define you?
2. What would it take for you to come to trust in the Father and His definition of you?
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