Only God Knows the Heart of Faith

596 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 19:1-4, “And Joab was told, "Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom." 2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said that day, "The king is grieved for his son." 3 And the people stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Sam 19:1-4) Joab and the army of David have won a great victory. The rebellion has been quashed. David may return to his beloved Jerusalem and resume the God-ordained rule of his people. This should have been a great time of celebration for the army and the people, but David is weeping and mourning uncontrollably, and instead of having a parade of victory, the army and the people sneak back into the city like an army that is ashamed of a defeat. And instead of a proclamation of jubilation from the king such as “Well done thou good and faithful servants,” the people hear this wailing from David, “ "O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!" This is not the first time we have heard David wail over the loss of a child, but there is a big difference. In the first case, when his infant child passed away, he said with great confidence, that he would one day be reunited with him, not so with the rebel child Absalom. This is the lament of every believer who has suffered the loss of an unbelieving child, or family member, or friend. I've been there. I know your pain. I know your uncertainty. I know your wailing, “O Absalom, Absolom!” Where is our solace in such circumstances? We grasp at all sorts of straws hoping to find evidence of a spark of saving faith. For the Lord Himself said that, “he will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick, Mt 12:20. We also know that it is appointed for men to die once and then the judgment. (Heb 9:27) So all we can do is trust that God alone knows the heart of faith. God alone is the judge, and He is extremely loving and patient. In the meantime let us resolve to not leaving ourselves or others guessing. Let us surrender our lives to Jesus today! And let us play for the lost while there is still time.