Where Are You Running?

I came across this passage today and I have to admit the Old Testament is an areaI haven't spent a lot of time reading lately but it's funny how passages just jump out at you and grab your attention. There is a lot of history here, but to make things easier, 2 of David’s sons are Absalom and Amnon. Absalom had a smokin’ hot sister named Tamar, who happened to be Amnon’s half sister. Here is where things get interesting: Amnon wanted to get with Tamar…and yes, that’s pretty disgusting. Amnon came up with a plan and successfully raped Tamar and then threw her out. This really ticked off Absalom, and he eventually killed Amnon for doing what he did to Tamar. Although David was hurt when Amnon was killed, he did not seek revenge, but Absalom fled and lived with his grandfather. Joab, David’s nephew, knew that David really wanted to see Absalom, so he came up with a plan for them to meet. A lady named Tekoa helped him out by going before David, and you can read her story in 2 Samuel 14:5-11. But, her story was a parable and it’s purpose was to setup the real purpose for her visit. She then says:

“Why don’t you do as much for the people of God as you have promised to do for me? You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your own banished son. All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him” 2 Samuel 14:13-14

The last part of that passage stood out the most for a couple of reasons. First of all, every single person is valuable and important to God. He doesn’t just count them up as lost or “sweep” them under the rug. Secondly, because God values our lives, He “devises ways” to bring us back to Him. Regardless of where we are or how far away we run from God, we can never escape His reach. Even if we are in the deepest, darkest sin possible, God uses those things to point us back to Him. So, when we are running, the question isn’t where is God, the real question is where are we running? To God, or away from Him?