Unification: A Study in 2 SamuelSample

What does it say?

Amnon’s infatuation with his sister, Tamar, turned to sexual abuse. Absalom avenged his sister by killing Amnon.

What does it mean?

Consumed with gratifying his own desires, Amnon’s lack of respect for his sister resulted in heartache instead of pleasure. Deception and trickery placed Tamar in a compromising situation in which she couldn’t escape the desires of Amnon. What he thought he couldn’t live without didn’t bring fulfillment and quickly became detestable. Amnon pushed the consequences of his sin out of sight and received no confrontation from King David. The consequences of sin had trickled down, creating shame, mourning, and separation throughout David’s family – even costing Amnon his life.

How should I respond?

You can have everything you need, yet become obsessed with what you don’t have. Turning your focus from the good God has brought into your life will shortchange your gratitude, leaving you desiring more. How have you allowed your desires to get out of control? What negative influences are those desires having on someone else? True contentment is only found by aligning your desires with God’s Word. What area of discontentment do you need to surrender to God today?