The Love of a Father
““Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.””
Here we see the incredible love that a father has for his son, even though David's son was hell-bent on destroying him - King David had to run for his life. He had to go through the valley of Kidron, which used to be the sewage disposal valley for Jerusalem, in the middle of the night, barefoot and fleeing for his life because Absalom wanted to take the throne and also kill him. Of course, being the most popular man in Israel, the troops rallied to David and eventually, they went out to face Absalom and the army that he had mustered. As they were going out the father said of his son: "Please be gentle with him."
The reason I love Jesus Christ so much is because while I was still a sinner, He said to His Father, about me His son: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34 (NKJV) One of my favourite scriptures is found in John 15:13:
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
That’s exactly what Jesus did for you and me. Today, we need to understand the incredible love that Christ had for us - That He died for us, not when we were saved but while we were still sinners.
I remember my dear old Dad, he stayed on the farm with me for his last years here on earth. Not only was he my dad but he became a very very close friend to me. He lived just behind us in a little cottage, my mom had died before him and he was very lonely. I used to go and sit with him every single night in his little cottage. We would sit on the veranda and talk, every now and then he would go up and spend time with my brother and sister who both lived in Johannesburg at that time. He would call my foreman Simeon Bhengu (of the Faith like Potatoes fame) and say to him privately "While I’m away, look after the young man." - That was so touching for me. He never said anything to me but Simeon told me after my dad had died. That is the love that a father has for his son.
Jesus has that same love for you and me. Let us not be like Absalom and disappoint him today.
Jesus bless you,
Angus and Jill Buchan