Jun 12 – 2 Samuel 18:19-33, 2 Samuel 19 Acts 7:44-60, Acts 8:1-3 Psalm 73:1-14
2 Sam 18:33
And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Absalom had done wrong by David, no doubt. But David takes no delight whatsoever in his death. He mourns as a father – no father wants to go before their son. David was so greived, that his attitude even offended some who’d fought for him, as if he was ungrateful that he was still king.
And that’s not the situation at all, but a show that David had a good, tender heart. He didn’t seek out vengeance, or wished ill on Absalom, after all he was his son.
We shouldn’t be seeking vengeance on those who do us wrong. Vengeance is, after all, The Lord’s. But not only should we not be seeking it, we shouldn’t be hoping for it.
Acts 8:3
But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
This is the man who would become the great Apostle. This is the man who God would use to grow the church throughout the known world.
This enforcers – this violent man who dragged people off to prison. Who endorsed the stoning of Stephen.
This man who persecuted and hunted the church… this is the man God chose.
Let’s be honest – we’d never have chosen Saul. We’ve have had trouble trusting him.
But in God’s hands he changed from monster to giant. God uses the people we don’t expect. God uses people who have, at one point seemed so far way from the truth we could never think they’d change.
It’s amazing to see how much God can change a life.
