DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S STANDARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD'S STANDARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

"So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was concerned about Absalom." (II Samuel 14:1)

This a difficult part of David's history for me to get my head around. Absalom had killed his half-brother, Amnon, because Amnon had violated his sister, Tamar. So Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai, in Geshur. Absalom's mother, a wife King David, was Maacah, a daughter of Talmai who was the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur (II Samuel 3:3). Absalom found a place of refuge in his relatives' home.

Apparently, Absalom was a favored son of David. David longed to go to Absalom (13:39). But there had to be some kind of protocol. David couldn't just run after his son after what he had done. And even when Joab persuaded David to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem, David kept his distance and would not allow Absalom to come to the palace. Absalom was in Jerusalem two years before he was allowed to come to King David, again at the behest of Joab.

I think Absalom was a proud, spoiled brat, with a lot of ego. He thought he was special and could do anything he wanted. He even hired chariots and horses and fifty men to run before him. And his hair. His hair was his pride and glory. He was so vain that he thought that he should be king instead of his father, David. He had such charisma that he swayed people to follow him in insurrection against King David. "So Absalom stole the hearts of the people" (15:6b).

King David did not confront Absalom about his sin. And when faced with Absalom's rebellion, David fled. But that seemed to be the way it had always been. He had never been able to discipline his son. As a father, I understand how hard it is to confront an adult son or daughter about their sin. And possibly David still harbored guilt in his heart about Uriah. How could he reproach his son when he had also sinned so grievously? It is hard for parents to speak righteousness when they have had failures in their past.

But God's righteousness is not contingent on my righteousness. I can speak what God says is true even if I have violated his standard. God's holiness remains in spite of my own failures. God's standard of righteousness was, is, and always will be the same, and I need to allow that to be the criteria, not my own experience.

Love, Dad