2 Samuel 18: The Relief Of It All

“Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: ‘O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!’” —2 Samuel 18:33 NKJV

This part of David’s story just wrecks me. Yes Im reading the Bible, but Im also a parent. I can't even begin to imagine how loved by God we are if I love my own children as I do.

Absalom betrayed David in a way any parent or family member would dread.  Still, he was his son.  When I read David’s reaction to Absalom’s death, I don’t see a king lamenting a threat to his reign. I see a father broken over his child.

The more I’ve walked through the hard parts of parenting, especially with kids who carry trauma or make choices that don’t reflect who I know they are deep down, the more I understand this tension. That ache of “what could I have done differently?” The wondering if somehow I missed something. Said the wrong thing. Waited too long. Or didn’t wait long enough.

I think that’s a pretty natural response when we love our kids deeply. Our mind goes straight to what we could’ve done. We grieve not just what happened, but what could’ve been.

What stood out to me this time, though, was how the Lord, in His kindness, was the one who ultimately brought justice to the situation.  Even in discipline and death, I see the Lord’s mercy   He was so protective over David’s heart. David didn't have to do it and neither did his men.

The battle really does belong to the Lord y’all. Even more so when it’s your own child on the other side.

This feels like such a personalized reminder:  You don’t have to carry the full weight of this battle. Even the messiest, most dysfunctional, most personal battles. 😭 🥹 It's such a relief!