True Love

"And the king was deeply moved

and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept.

And as he went, he said,

'O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom!

Would to God I had died for you,

O Absalom, my son, my son!'"

2 Samuel 18:33

You couldn't get much dirtier than that.  The king's son conspired to steal the throne, going so far as to deceive his own father as part of the scheme.  Instead of supporting his dad in his God-given role as leader of the nation of Israel, Absalom became power-hungry, stealing the hearts of the people away from David. (2 Samuel 15-18)

In such a scenario as this, I would expect the father to be angry at his son, thinking of him as an enemy.  David, however, mirrored the heart of God in the way he thought of this conspirator.  If Absalom had been any other man, he would be considered as David's sworn enemy.  Since the conniver was the king's own son, however, David had great compassion and desired mercy for him.  This is the heart of God toward me.

Sworn Enemy

You couldn't get much dirtier than that.  The Maker of heaven and earth who so graciously provided all that I need to live only wanted one thing from me: My heart.  Still, this image-bearer chose to follow my own way, doing what pleased myself and hardly ever thinking about the One who made it all possible.  

Instead of grateful praise, I whine and complain about what I don't like, fretting over all that is difficult.  Instead of a thankful heart, a cold, hard stone grows in its place.  Instead of humble acceptance of my place, I hunger for power and glory.  Nothing infuriates His just nature more.

My unfaithfulness makes me God's sworn enemy.  All the ways I fall short of His glorious standard put me on His "most wanted" list.  I have proved my loyalty to self in the path I choose to follow.  (Colossians 1:21,Romans 5:10)

There are many ways my mouth gives praise to God, extolling His virtues and singing His praises while my actions tell another story.  I say I trust Him to provide for all my needs but I never give Him a chance to supply those necessities, always rushing to draw from my own resources instead.  In my desire to avoid even a moment of want, I am denying my heavenly Father one of His greatest joys. (Matthew 7:9-11)

I tell others that nothing is impossible with God but when the seemingly impossible situation rears it's ugly head in my own life, I panic, letting worry seize my heart.  My refusal to see with eyes of faith reveals the true state of my wayward heart. (Philippians 4:6-7)

I speak words of faith, saying I love Jesus and desire to follow Him.  Unfortunately, I rarely spend time with Him and give Him little cooperation as He attempts to transform my life.  In my desire to retain control of my own life, I deny His lordship and end up working against Him. (Luke 11:23)

My sin makes me an enemy of God.

Grief

It hurt His heart.  The people He had created to walk with Him in the garden had betrayed Him, turning instead to their own ways, preferring the company of each other to His, looking elsewhere to find true satisfaction.  His intention was to enjoy perfect fellowship with His image bearers.  Instead, His heart grieved to see how wayward they truly were. (Genesis 6:5-6)

God mourns the gulf sin carves out between myself and Him.  It hurts His heart to see the ways I prefer my own comfort over the joy that comes from obedience to Him.  He grieves over the loss of intimacy that follows when I allow fear to rule my heart.  He mourns what could have been when He watches me turn away as I approach the unknown, preferring instead to stick with what I know.

In the same way that David grieved the loss of his son Absalom even though he was an enemy, so God's heart hurts over the chasm my sin creates.  Such is His sorrow that He went to great lengths to repair the breach.  Even though He knew it would cause great suffering, His plan of redemption included asking His Son to give up His divinity for a time, taking on human form and experiencing all the suffering known to man. (Philippians 2:6-8)

What a beautiful picture of God's amazing love.  Instead of casting me aside as an ungrateful reject who is unworthy of receiving such a gift, God's love compelled Him to commit the unspeakable act of sacrificing His own innocent Son in my place.  While I deserve death, Jesus did not.  Nonetheless, He died so that I can live.  Once I fully comprehend this love, I will understand more greatly the heart of a God who would grieve His children's sin.   

My sin causes a broken bond that grieves the heart of God.

Sacrifice

The mother stepped between her child and the gunman, shielding the one she loved from harm.  The husband, at great risk to his own life, snatched his wife from the path of the oncoming train, saving her from certain death.  The child took pity on his little puppy, courageously standing up to the stray dog that attacked him.

While it is understandable when a human makes such a sacrifice for a child of her own womb, or for a wife who has been good to her husband, or for a cute dog who is loyal to the end, it is hard to imagine doing such a thing for an enemy.  

This is a picture of the sacrifice Jesus made for me.  While I was still in my sin, Jesus bore the penalty I deserved upon His own shoulders.  Before I even realized the offense of my own flesh to a holy God, Jesus paid the price for these transgressions.  Despite the fact that my sin makes me God's enemy, He paid the ultimate price to set me free from the wages of that sin.  (Romans 6:23, Romans 5:7-8)

Such love, once completely known, casts away all traces of fear. (1 John 4:16-18)  No longer do I need worry that I'm not good enough.  Instead, I can fully embrace the forgiveness that is mine through Christ Jesus.  

The fear of rejection that plagues my heart can be discarded, replaced with a security that comes from knowing I am fully accepted through Jesus as a child of God, given a firm place in His family that includes an eternal inheritance. (1 John 3:1, Romans 8:16-18)

The sacrifice of Christ gives me a bold confidence to approach the throne of grace.  Instead of feeling inadequate or unworthy of such a honor, I can go before the Lord whenever I am in need, knowing that I will receive all that is necessary to carry on.  (Hebrews 4:16)

The love of God is such that He sent His one and only Son to die a sinner's death so I could live abundantly and eternally.

The love David demonstrated for his son Absalom is hard to fathom, especially as I live in such a cold, hard world.  This brand of love, however, mirrors the heart of God.  Even though my sin makes me His sworn enemy, the Lord grieves over the gulf my sin forms between He and I.  In an unspeakable act of love, He made a way to cross this wide chasm by sacrificing His own Son in my place, repairing the bond He cherishes so much.  This is true love.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can consider the love the Father lavishes on us.

How do I take such a precious gift for granted?

When am I afraid to step into the presence of God?