I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Samuel 14-15.

    There are a couple of things which we learn from this story. First, we learn that Joab had been trying to convince David to bring Absalom back for some time. I believe that Joab did this because he perceived that Absalom living in a foreign country would be used to foment rebellion, either against David or against his successor. Second we learn that Joab had probably heard about the story Nathan used to highlight David’s sin with Bathsheba to him.

    I do not usually like to draw spiritual lessons from things said by secondary characters but I believe that the woman whom Joab used to convince David said something very profound. When she made her case for David bringing Absalom back she said the following:

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.

God indeed does not desire for us to die and be forever separated from Him. He devised a way for us to be reconciled to Him through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In addition, He uses various strategies to convince us to accept this reconciliation. It is God’s desire that no one be banished from His presence. He is seeking even now to convince those who have banished themselves from His presence to return to Him.