The God who Restores

But God does not take away life; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored. (2 Sam 14:14b)

I love it when I see the heart of the Gospel in the Old Testament. Just when I think I'm familiar with all of the relevant passages, one comes along and grabs my heart. This morning, reading 2 Samuel 14, another one jumped out.

In the chapter Absalom is estranged from David after killing Amnon. As a woman I find the murder justifiable - Amnon raped Absalom's sister (and his own half-sister). Yet the murder estranged Absalom from David. Joab gets a woman to pretend to have an estranged son, to convince David into restoring Absalom. Halfway through the game, the woman begins to speak her heart, realizing David's good heart. She then tells him the words above - that God devises ways for restoration.

She's obviously speaking to the restoration of Absalom ... but my heart leapt as I saw here the heart of the Gospel. God devised a way of restoration. He didn't desire the death of man ... yet sin required banishment. Yet as Gen. 22 literally reads, "God provided Himself the lamb for sacrifice." Did He ever.

It's the old, old story - but I see it fresh this morning. This Lenten season, rejoice that He provided a way for the banished - us - to be restore to Him. He became the sacrifical lamb. Hear it with new ears. And worship again for the old story that never gets old.