Family Circus and more

2 Samuel 14:1 - 15:22

Talk about family problems!! Such a soap opera of anger, jealously, injustice, lack of forgiveness, selfishness, bitterness, deceit, favoritism,  and so much more junk in the trunk!

The disconnect in Davids family is off the charts. To be clear the Hebrew bible names 19 sons of David and only one daughter Tamar, talk about a big family! Many were from different wives. We will only mention a few of the many family issues in Davids home. Amnon Davids favorite and first born son did a terrible thing to his sister Tamar to which David did nothing about because he did not want to make Amnon unhappy (2 Sam 13:21), but Absalom was off the charts angry! Bitter towards his father David for not addressing this, and of course at his brother Amnon for doing such a terrible thing! So what does any angry brother do when his sister is physically violated and traumatized by her own brother, Tamar understandably sinks into a deep depression (2 Sam 13:20). Absalom is ripping mad at his brother for doing this and also at his dad David for not doing anything about it. So Absalom kills his brother Amnon. I have only mentioned the tip of the iceberg of issues beneath the surface of this family. 

The problem is are we any different today? Yes I know we are not talking about the same exact issues, but are we disconnected from our own families? Do we hold on to bitterness from past wrongs? Do we feel justified the way we treat others because we feel they deserve it? Do we think we are so much better then they are, so we look down to them? Do we half heartedly forgive, or so called forgive people we say we love? Are we so upset with our kids because they are not doing life they way we want them to, so we strong handedly object, ridicule, teardown, hurt, and crush our kids to try and emotionally beat them into submission so they act or do life more like they way we want them to, or the way we feel they should be, then we say we do it because we love them? Do we twist God's word to fit our current emotional state of mind so we can feel like God is happy with our unforgiving hearts, or do we simply ignore God's word because we simply do not care? 

God is not looking for half hearted forgiveness, nor is He looking for disconnected families and broken relationships. IF we are truly going to call ourselves followers of God we really need to start applying God's principles and the examples of Christ into our families. If you want to try these on your own I feel you will have a pretty tough time doing it, but as Christ followers was have the power of the Holy Spirit living in us. We must go to God in prayer regarding that relationship we are thinking about now. Pray that God will give us a spirit of forgiveness, a heart for reconciliation, and the love of Christ. You can be sure Satan wants nothing more than to rip apart our families from the inside out. 

As we read todays story of Judas betraying Christ. This reminds us we don't only have relationship issues with family, but with neighbors, friends and co-workers as well. Let's apply this same model of love, forgiveness and reconciliation in these area's as well. 

Or we can just go on feeling bitter, hurt, angry, and alone. God has given us the answers in His word. Do we believe them or not?   

Chuck Goulart

203-943-0961

 "Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter." –Francis Chan