2 Samuel 14:14 We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast.
Thus the wise woman spoke to David the King upon Joab’s instigation. Absalom had killed his brother Amnon as revenge for raping Tamar, and had fled to Geshur where he had been three years, but ‘now the spirit of the King longed to go out to Absalom’(2 Samuel 13:39) and ‘…Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the King’s heart went out to Absalom’ (2 Samuel 14:1). Through Adam we all were made sinners, and since our birth, on every day of our lives here on earth, we have but added to that heap of sin. God’s word to us is like his word to Israel: ‘You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.’ (Isaiah 43:24). Yet since the day of the fall in Eden, God’s heart has went out to the man he’d made, so that at the fulness of time he sent his only begotten Son Jesus to pay the price of our disobedience by his death on the cross. All men must indeed die, but Jesus tasted death for every man, for by him God had devised a means so that though banished, we would not remain outcasts.
We all have sinned, and like sheep we have gone astray, yet in each one of us there’s a longing to go back home. We have sought for happiness, for healing, for peace, for rest, in worldly pleasure and indulgences and know only too well that all is vanity. Is there better news than to hear that our Father longs so much for us than we long for him, and that he has worked out for us the way back home? The prodigal son went back home intending to beg to be made a servant, but while he was yet a long way off his father ran out to meet him, embraced and kissed him, and had a party organized to celebrate the return of the son who was lost but now had been found, who had died but now lived. We too, let’s go back home, our Father is gladly waiting.
Hosea 11:8 How can I give you up O Ephraim? How can I hand you over O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; My compassion grows warm and tender.
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
calling for you and for me;
see, on the portals he’s waiting and watching,
watching for you and for me.
Refrain:
Come home, come home;
you who are weary come home;
earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling, O sinner, come home!
Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not his mercies,
mercies for you and for me? [Refrain]
Prayer:
Dear Lord, We all have stumbled, and continue to, because of our iniquities. We have wandered a long way from home, and forfeited healing and peace by not turning to you early enough. Yet though our sin is great, you are He who blots out our transgressions for your own sake, and remember not our sins. We return to you O Lord, asking you to have compassion on us, for you promise to abundantly pardon. Forgive our sin, heal our apostacy, and in your mercy lead us back home, for your glory, Amen.