Rebellion in the Kingdom
Today’s reading: 2 Samuel 17:1-29.
It would be extremely heart breaking for any parent to have his own child becoming an enemy. For King David this was a reality. His own flesh and blood, Absalom has been proclaimed king in Hebron and has committed a national coup. King David was forced to secretly escape by the cover of the darkness of night (from his own beloved son).
There is a deep resembles with the first rebellion that had occurred centuries before in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve, God’s beloved children whom he had made in His image from the dust of the ground, whom he had breathed his breath of life into, whom he has promised the entire created realm into their care as his regent (co-ruler) on earth choose to deny him as King of the universe, Lord of their lives and God of all creation. Adam and Eve attempted a cosmic coup when they took the fruit from the tree that the Lord has commanded them not to eat from. It was a declaration of independence from God.
Can you imagine the heart break that God must have experienced when Adam and Eve rebelled against him? Can you imagine his heart break when he had to send them into exile from his presence in the garden? It must have been extremely painful. It would be too painful to imagine.
There is a cosmic rebellion and we - God’s image bearer – are leading a coup against the king of the universe. We have been participating in a spiritual rebellion against God by declaring independence from him. We have made ourselves kings in “Hebron”. And it breaks God’s heart. All over the world the effects of this spiritual independence from God has created anarchy in every human realm. I would dare to say that the CoVid19, famine and wars are all symptomatic of this spiritual rebellion.
I recall a moment of my own rebellious adolescent years. One evening an argument between my mother and I broke out. I had wanted to go out with my friends who were not good company. She confronted me and prevented me to leave the house. But my rebellious independent nature took over and violent words were being said that I still regret to this very day. These are words that I can never retract. It was at that moment I saw my mother’s heart break through her eyes. Her heart broke and our relationship broke with it. Her beloved son broke her heart.
What I did to my mother I had also done to God. I believe all of us have done this at some point in our journey in this live. We have broken God’s heart each time we rebel against Him. Each time we choose to be our own king and lord we are committing a spiritual coup in the kingdom of God. This breaks God’s heart as our heavenly Father.
King David, though was not a perfect father to Absalom is nonetheless a father. He loved Absalom deeply. But, we have a heavenly Father who is perfect and loves us perfectly. He has done everything for us so that we can be reconciled to Him, even by sending His only begotten and beloved Son, Jesus, to suffer death on the cross. God sent his Son to make us all sons and daughters (again).
Going back to my story; after I had seen the look in my mother’s eyes, I knew that I had to seek her forgiveness and repent. It was not easy to do since there was a lot of pride and self-justice in me. I wanted my way and my rights. However, I noticed that even when I had broken my mother’s heart, she never stopped being my mother. She provided for me, washed my laundry and made meals for me. She continued to love her rebellious son. I noticed that my mother has already forgiven me even before I uttered the words to her. All I needed to do was be reconciled with her and change my ways – which I have. This is the unconditional love of God flowing in and through her. Humanly speaking, it would be impossible to love an enemy, let alone a child who becomes an enemy. It requires a supernatural kind of love to every do what my mother did.
When Jesus revealed to us that God is our heavenly Father, he is showing an eternal nature of God as Father that will never change. He will always be Father to his children, no matter how rebellious they are. But to balance it a bit, if we persist in rebellion and become an enemy of God, He has every right as God to deny us for Jesus said that whoever disowns the Son, disowns the Father AND the Father disowns him (as son and citizen of heaven) (Matt. 10:33).
Friends, I invite you to consider your attitude this morning. Are you living in rebellion against your heavenly Father? Return to Him and be restored by His grace. Our God is a loving Father who is always ready to receive His children home if they repent.
Prayer:
Father, I have been rebellious and ungrateful. I recognize that I have broken Your heart with my spiritual defiance. Forgive me and restore me as Your child. Grant me Your sufficient and abundant grace so that I will walk in Your righteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Today’s reading: 2 Samuel 17:1-29.
It would be extremely heart breaking for any parent to have his own child becoming an enemy. For King David this was a reality. His own flesh and blood, Absalom has been proclaimed king in Hebron and has committed a national coup. King David was forced to secretly escape by the cover of the darkness of night (from his own beloved son).
There is a deep resembles with the first rebellion that had occurred centuries before in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve, God’s beloved children whom he had made in His image from the dust of the ground, whom he had breathed his breath of life into, whom he has promised the entire created realm into their care as his regent (co-ruler) on earth choose to deny him as King of the universe, Lord of their lives and God of all creation. Adam and Eve attempted a cosmic coup when they took the fruit from the tree that the Lord has commanded them not to eat from. It was a declaration of independence from God.
Can you imagine the heart break that God must have experienced when Adam and Eve rebelled against him? Can you imagine his heart break when he had to send them into exile from his presence in the garden? It must have been extremely painful. It would be too painful to imagine.
There is a cosmic rebellion and we - God’s image bearer – are leading a coup against the king of the universe. We have been participating in a spiritual rebellion against God by declaring independence from him. We have made ourselves kings in “Hebron”. And it breaks God’s heart. All over the world the effects of this spiritual independence from God has created anarchy in every human realm. I would dare to say that the CoVid19, famine and wars are all symptomatic of this spiritual rebellion.
I recall a moment of my own rebellious adolescent years. One evening an argument between my mother and I broke out. I had wanted to go out with my friends who were not good company. She confronted me and prevented me to leave the house. But my rebellious independent nature took over and violent words were being said that I still regret to this very day. These are words that I can never retract. It was at that moment I saw my mother’s heart break through her eyes. Her heart broke and our relationship broke with it. Her beloved son broke her heart.
What I did to my mother I had also done to God. I believe all of us have done this at some point in our journey in this live. We have broken God’s heart each time we rebel against Him. Each time we choose to be our own king and lord we are committing a spiritual coup in the kingdom of God. This breaks God’s heart as our heavenly Father.
King David, though was not a perfect father to Absalom is nonetheless a father. He loved Absalom deeply. But, we have a heavenly Father who is perfect and loves us perfectly. He has done everything for us so that we can be reconciled to Him, even by sending His only begotten and beloved Son, Jesus, to suffer death on the cross. God sent his Son to make us all sons and daughters (again).
Going back to my story; after I had seen the look in my mother’s eyes, I knew that I had to seek her forgiveness and repent. It was not easy to do since there was a lot of pride and self-justice in me. I wanted my way and my rights. However, I noticed that even when I had broken my mother’s heart, she never stopped being my mother. She provided for me, washed my laundry and made meals for me. She continued to love her rebellious son. I noticed that my mother has already forgiven me even before I uttered the words to her. All I needed to do was be reconciled with her and change my ways – which I have. This is the unconditional love of God flowing in and through her. Humanly speaking, it would be impossible to love an enemy, let alone a child who becomes an enemy. It requires a supernatural kind of love to every do what my mother did.
When Jesus revealed to us that God is our heavenly Father, he is showing an eternal nature of God as Father that will never change. He will always be Father to his children, no matter how rebellious they are. But to balance it a bit, if we persist in rebellion and become an enemy of God, He has every right as God to deny us for Jesus said that whoever disowns the Son, disowns the Father AND the Father disowns him (as son and citizen of heaven) (Matt. 10:33).
Friends, I invite you to consider your attitude this morning. Are you living in rebellion against your heavenly Father? Return to Him and be restored by His grace. Our God is a loving Father who is always ready to receive His children home if they repent.
Prayer:
Father, I have been rebellious and ungrateful. I recognize that I have broken Your heart with my spiritual defiance. Forgive me and restore me as Your child. Grant me Your sufficient and abundant grace so that I will walk in Your righteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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