Speaker: Bonnie Sala | Series: Guidelines For Living | But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him.  2 Samuel 14:14

When it comes to human relationships, the same dramas play out over and over again.  Like the story of a dad and his son locked in bitter disagreement.  Angry words fly.  Finally, the dad says, “Get out and don’t ever show up at the door of this house again. I never want to see your face again!”  “Don’t worry,” yells the son.  “You never will.”

How many times has that scene repeated itself?  A story just like it took place over 3,000 years ago.  You can read about it in the Bible. The Father’s name was David, and the son was Absalom.  After David had an affair with a woman named Bathsheba, his life began to come apart.  His own child by Bathsheba died.  Then Amnon, one of David’s sons, forced himself upon his sister, Tamar, and Absalom so hated his brother for what he did that he engineered his death.

David, his heart torn and bruised at the pain and turmoil, banished Absalom from his presence.  Some three years later, however, Joab, the chief of staff of David’s army, encounters a wise woman, simply called the Woman from Tekoa, and sends her to the king.  She tells King David a story about her husband who is dead, and two sons who got into a fight, one killing the other.  Then, she says, the clan wants to put the surviving son to death, which would leave her without an heir, and destitute.  “No,” says David, “this is not right.”  And he gives an order protecting the son, allowing him to return home in peace.

But then, in a surprise move, she tells the king that he has convicted himself, as she has just described the conflict he has with his own son, Absalom.  In her plea to the king, she argues for reconciliation.  She says, “Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.” (2 Samuel 14:14).

God is the one who delights in life and He finds ways to bring a banished person home because His desire is always for restored relationship. Little did the Woman from Tekoa know that she was describing the mission God sent His own son on, a millennium later.  Paul said that Jesus Christ was the go-between, the one who reconciled us to the Father, the one who made it possible for us to come back home.

Maybe there is someone in your life that you have unresolved conflict with.  You’ve known each other most of your life.  You had the same friends.  But then three years ago you had a fight and neither of you will make the first move to reconcile.  If you have to be in the same place at the same time, you ignore each other.  But it doesn’t go away.  You don’t have peace.  The war goes on.

Reconciliation is what the Gospel is all about.  Jesus came so that we could have relationship with a perfect God, despite anything we’ve done.  Paul wrote, “We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).

But He also came and gave Himself to take your punishment to make peace between you and your former best friend.  “For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility,” says Ephesians 2:14.

God’s invitation is to come home, to be reconciled, to make peace and put the past behind you. You can do that today.

Resource reading:  2 Corinthians 5:16-21.