My title is Giving Up or Moving On.
Today I read what has always been a hard but strange passage to read and understand. First a little backstory.
In 2 Samuel 13 we read the story of Amnon’s rape of his sister, Tamar, and then Absalom’s revenge by killing Amnon. He then flees and is exiled by David. Eventually he is allowed back but lives in isolation for 4 years from his father. In chapter 15 Absalom conspires against his father and rallies people to his rebellion. David then flees Jerusalem.
Here is where I find this passage both hard and strange. Why did David flee? He was the king for crying out loud! Why didn’t he fight? His men would have fought for him at the drop of a hat. David does set up quite a network of support within Absalom’s own circle. Spies for lack of a better word. Long story short, David fights. Absalom is defeated. His hair gets caught in a branch of a tree and his donkey continues on. Joab is told and kills him. But David mourns his death.
So many questions. A few, but not many answers. I do know this: David could have given up completely. Put himself under the “mercy” of Absalom. He didn’t. Why he fled I don’t know. Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was weariness. I don’t know. but he didn’t quit. He didn’t give up. Even in his pain he set a network in place. He moved on. When the time was right he struck.
Dark days are often followed by days of clarity. Just like a hard day on a bicycle is often followed by a day of freedom and strength, so is life. There is always a day of sun after darkness. The Bible calls it “God turns our mourning into dancing.”
“Father, help me not to give up but to keep going. Help me to see tough days will be followed by Your strength. Let me live Psalm 71 (I encourage you to read it).”
This story has always confused me a bit, too; maybe David’s hope was that if he fled, Absalom would be deluded into thinking his father was weaker than he actually was.
And yes, Father, help us all to keep going in Your strength!
Blessings, Bill!
I’m glad I’m not alone in my confusion. 🙂 Thanks Martha for finding time to comment.
“Giving Up or Moving On”
I like the title… I have been like David… wanting to run, not wanting to fight any longer. Weary and beaten down. Feeling like each day simply brings a new day of struggles to overcome and yet I have not overcome the days past. These times come when I try to rely on my own abilities and have set my own expectations.
Moving on comes when I finally remember and accept that God is in control and His promises are true. Life has struggles, but those struggles are temporary. Those struggles will come to an end, either in this life or the one that I am training for.
Yeah that feeling of wanting to run and not wanting to fight is way too common. But as you state, God is in control so we keep moving on. Thanks for the comment.
I always ponder about how David, who had so much wisdom, could have lacked like he did when it came to parenting. I’m not pointing fingers and I know it was different times and he had a huge clan due to the amount of wives, but I still think.
Perseverance is one of the most important traits a person of God can possess.
That is a good ponder Floyd. I wonder why, as king, he didn’t just put his foot down. Why run? But i guess there are some things I am not supposed to know the answer to. Thanks for taking the time to comment.