Dead or Alive

 DEVOTION

2^ND SAMUEL

DEAD OR ALIVE

2 Sam 18:24-33

24 While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman called out to the king and reported it. The king said, "If he is alone, he must have good news." And the man came closer and closer. 26 Then the watchman saw another man running, and he called down to the gatekeeper, "Look, another man running alone!" The king said, "He must be bringing good news, too." 27 The watchman said, "It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok." "He's a good man," the king said. "He comes with good news." 28 Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, "All is well!" He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, "Praise be to the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king." 29 The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" Ahimaaz answered, "I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king's servant and me, your servant, but I don't know what it was." 30 The king said, "Stand aside and wait here." So he stepped aside and stood there. 31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, "My lord the king, hear the good news! The LORD has delivered you today from all who rose up against you." 32 The king asked the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" The Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man." 33 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!"

NIV

Forgiveness and willingness are the topics for today. Although Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, wanted to be first, outrunning the Cushite, he was not truthful in his report. The Cushite was honest, in a gentle way, not saying outright that Absalom was dead or how it had happened. Yet our story is found in David and his lamenting over the death of his son and wishing he had died instead. We can see another father, this is the Father, and he mourns over his dead sons and daughter who are lost in the world. However, the Father’s story is different then the story of David and Absalom, as the Father sent his Son to die for all the lost children of the King of Kings, the Father who sits on the throne. Then the Son sent the Holy Spirit to convict those who were lost, and we were one of those, and we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and the Father gave us new life, as if we were born again, born from above, from His work. Plus, at the same time, because we are now of the household of God, being his children, all our enemies have been vanquished by the mighty hand of God. He has delivered us from all who will and have risen up against us. We heard and know the good news, the good report, because the work of God has established a complete and final record, so we may be encouraged. First, because we know we have been forgiven, because of the work of God through Jesus. Second, that we live with the hope of eternal life. Thirdly, our faith can be strengthened through His word and his work within us. We are not like the son of David, Absalom, who died; we are like the Son of God, risen from the dead, and alive forevermore.