RECONCILED?
Opening Prayer
Thank You, God, for Your never-ending love for me. Hear me as I come to You today.
Read 2 Samuel 19:8b–18a
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
8 So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, “The king is sitting in the gateway,” they all came before him.
Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes.
David Returns to Jerusalem
9 Throughout the tribes of Israel, all the people were arguing among themselves, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled the country to escape from Absalom; 10 and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”
11 King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Ask the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? 12 You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.’”
14 He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, “Return, you and all your men.” 15 Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.
Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. 16 Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul’s household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. 18 They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished.
When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Have you struggled to be reconciled to God? Or to others? What does reconciliation look like?Reconciliation can help bring healing, but it is often a messy process. Many love songs are about break-up and reconcili-ation. We are reminded of the messiness of relationships and war in this passage. The people recognize that they are without a king and that David is a help to them (9,10).
The peace talks commence and (as they didn’t have email in those days!) messengers relayed the thoughts of both parties. Israel wanted their king back and they asked him to return (11–14).
It is one thing to say we want reconciliation but another to put it into action. Over one thousand men were sent to go to meet and greet David and bring him across the river. They were willing to make the move and put their words into ac-tion to bring the king home (14–18).
Yet King David was not the king that the Israelites ultimately needed. We are all looking for the true King and wait in anticipation for Jesus, the King of kings, to return and bring us home.
Apply
Is there someone you need to be reconciled to? Ask God to help you take a step toward healing the breach and then do it! Make the call, send the message, say you are sorry—do what it takes.
Closing prayer
Thank You, Jesus, for Your willingness to die for us that we might be reconciled to God and to each other.
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