1st. February. 2022. Daily Devotion.

It was told Joab, ‘The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.’ So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the troops; for the troops heard that day, ‘The king is grieving for his son.’ 2 Samuel 19: 1-2

The story of David and Absalom is one of conflict, love and grief.

Conflict: Absalom was the third son of King David. He decided to seize the throne from his father and proclaim himself king, and he gathered a growing following of people disaffected with King David. After initially fleeing, David’s army met Absalom’s army in the Wood of Ephraim.

Love: As he sent his troops into battle, David was clear that Absalom himself should not be harmed. Many parents have hopes and dreams for their children. David had called his new born son ‘Absalom’, which means, ‘father is peace’. How tragic that Absalom ended up being at war with his father.

Grief:  On hearing of Absalom’s death in the battle, David wept bitterly. Grief is an expression of love. We hear David’s anguish in verse 4: “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” The pain of grief is an intense and unfathomable sorrow.

Today we hear the cries of those who have lost loved ones in conflicts, such as those in Ethiopia and Myanmar. We hear the cries of those who have lost relatives in the COVID-19 pandemic and those who have lost children at sea or in overcrowded trucks as they sought a better life in another land.

In Christ, the God of love has experienced our grief and our conflicts; and, in Jesus, God offers us immeasurable love, new hope, new and eternal life, peace with God (Romans 5:1), and an invitation to work to transform relationships so that each one might be based on the justice and love that lead to true reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).

For your loving and transforming presence with us always in Jesus, we thank you, O God, Amen.

 Confession

Have mercy on me, Oh Lord, for I am a humble and miserable sinner. [At this point, pause to remember specific sins you have committed during the day and speak or think them.] I renounce all of these sins, heavenly Father, and repent of them, and I promise to make every effort not to repeat them.

Have mercy on me, pardon me for these offences and any I might have omitted from forgetfulness or ignorance; in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, I pray for forgiveness. And I pray that your Holy Spirit may dwell with me in the coming day, to comfort me, to give me strength against temptation, and to guide me into the path of righteousness. Amen.

For Those Who Are Struggling

Heavenly Father, I pray for all my Christian brothers and sisters and for each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace to come in their hearts; I pray for love and joy to abound in their homes; I pray that they might enjoy good health, that they are not in debt, and that all their needs are met.

I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than you, Mighty God. Every battle is in your hands for you to fight, Lord. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them. In Christ’s name, Amen.