More On Forgiveness

432 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 3:30-34, “So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. 31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner." And King David followed the coffin. 32 So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And the king sang a lament over Abner and said: "Should Abner die as a fool dies? 34 Your hands were not bound Nor your feet put into fetters; As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell." Then all the people wept over him again. ( 2 Sam 3:30-34,) The motive for killing Abner is made clear. It was a family revenge killing and Abishai is lumped in with Joab as the culprits. This was a very critical time for David in the political arena. If there is no sign of sorrow over the revenge killing of Abner, the other tribes would likely resist the idea of David ruling over them. So David orders Joab and all the people who were with him, (perhaps those who felt that he had acted justly in the slaying of Abner) to make a public display of sorrow over the death of Abner. This would serve as an outward sign of repentance for committing the deed. Then to demonstrate that his government was genuinely sorry for the death of Abner, the king himself, follows the coffin to the grave. Then David, ever the composer, weeps, and sings a lamentation over the body of Abner. The meaning of his song can be summed up with these words. “Why was Abner treated like a wicked man in his death. I had sent him away in peace, his hands were not bound, he was not fettered. He was free and at peace with me, but then a man with wicked intent killed him.” Can we learn from this? I think so. Abner came to David seeking peace, David granted it. Even if Abner's motivation and sincerity were skewed, he was forgiven by David. Let God judge the sincerity and the motivation of Abner and others like him. How many times must Abner be forgiven by Joab? By you and I? ? Seven? No, Peter, Jesus said seven times seventy” Or as often as they seek it. Dear Christian brothers and sisters, let us learn to forgive as Christ forgave us. Father, help me to have a more forgiving spirit.