Read 2 Samuel 19 – 21
But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son! 2 Samuel 19:4 KJV
David made the mistake too many Father’s make; he expressed the depth of his love for his son after it was too late. It is safe to say that Absalom never knew his father loved him. Although David was so good with words and expressing emotion, he did not do it with his children, especially Absalom. Although he had many opportunities to do so, David never went to Absalom to tell him how he felt, to own up to his shortcomings, and to hold Absalom accountable for his. Instead, he held his tongue, kept his distance, and allowed the heart of his son to fill with bitterness. We can only wonder how different things might have been if David had only told Absalom how much he loved him before his death rather than after. As with David, every father has a wide variety of opportunities to express their true feelings with their children. Make use of them while there is time.
Lord, the relationship of David and Absalom is a warning to all dads of the great harm we do to our children when we fail to give them the attention they deserve and need. As with Absalom, age is not a factor, even adult children need the affection of their father. Help me do a better job of expressing my love to each of my children now before it is too late.
