Quick Note – 2 Samuel 14:32-33 – Not Content with Just Getting By

2 Samuel 14:32-33 – 32 Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent word to you, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.’” 33 Then Joab went to the king and told him, and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.

Absalom was David’s third son; he was the son of Maacah; he was the half-brother of David’s firstborn son Amnon; and he was the brother of Tamar.  He is most well-known for leading a short rebellion against his father David, when he tried to usurp the throne.  But before that happened, he actually was a pretty good brother and son.  Years before turning against his father, Absalom took revenge and murdered his brother Amnon for raping his sister Tamar.  Knowing that this murder would likely lead to the punishment of death, Absalom fled to the country of Geshur to find safety (2 Samuel 13). 

Three years later though, King David, after hearing a request from his servant Joab, let his son Absalom return from exile.  However, there was a stipulation – he would not be allowed to come into his presence.  He would be restored physically in that he was back in Israel, but he would not be accepted back into the family, because he would not be allowed to see his father.  For two years, Absalom was okay with this arrangement.  At least, he was home, but he finally became fed up with this half-hearted return.  He didn’t only want to get the benefit of being restored, but he wanted a restored relationship with his father.  So, he burned down Joab’s field to get his attention and requested that he be allowed to see his father once again.  It was after that ordeal that David summoned Absalom, forgave him, and restored his son. 

Although Absalom is not really a person that we as Christians should look up to, there is a quality of his that we should implement into our lives as Christians.  We see it in the passage we have today, when Absalom said, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.  Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.”  Absalom was not happy to simply get the benefits of being restored, but he wanted a restored relationship with his father. 

Many people come to Christ simply because they want the benefit of getting out of hell.  They want their “get out of jail for free” card.  And yes, when you give your life to Christ, you do get that.  But how many of us Christians want a real and true restored relationship with our Heavenly Father?  Unlike David who put a stipulation to keep Absalom away, our God, when He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins, was seeking a way to restore our relationship with Him.  He wanted to fix the brokenness that happened because of sin and to give us the opportunity to draw near to Him once again. 

Unfortunately, many Christians are content with just getting by.  They don’t care about knowing God or building a relationship with Him.  They are just happy to not have to go to hell.  This is the wrong attitude for a Christian.  This is the attitude of a person who only cares about the benefits and not about the relationship.  We should not be content with simply getting by, rather we should seek to build a closer relationship with the Father.  Like Absalom who longed to be restored to King David, we should long to grow closer to God.  The benefits of being saved are enormous – our sins are forgiven; we don’t have to go to hell; we have hope of eternal life after death; and we have a home in heaven.  But these benefits are nothing compared to the benefit of getting to have a relationship with God.  A relationship with God is the prize we should value to most.  Nothing else compares to that.