Where did the love go?

2 Samuel 13 - A Sister wronged by two brothers...

Sadness overwhelmed me reading this story today about Tamar, Absalom, and Amnon. A family that had serious issues even before this awful incident! After all, for a rape of a sister by a brother to even happen the family wasn't the way it should have been.

Do you find it interesting that this situation happened or at least is told right after David's own incident with Bathsheba and the baby dying? I don't. After all, boys look to their fathers for guidance and perhaps that was part of it. I think jealousy had been brewing in this family a long time between women that fell right down through to the children.

David didn't show control, so why should his sons? David took what he desired and so did Amnon. Two terrible acts, two terrible results! A bad choice and a bad result follows.

Tamar was a victim. A victim tossed about by the men surrounding her. Her father didn't think about giving the okay for her to tend to her brother after all the men were what mattered. The brother was sick, so it was okay for the sister to take care of him. Although, he had servants for this action. What was David thinking? Next, her brother Amnon desired her. Of course, immediately after taking her his so called love turned to hate. I think because of the awful sin and guilt he felt the guilt overtook him and he shouted "Get up and get out." She had begged him not to do this and now he was shoving her away. Oh the terrible pain! Oh the terrible wrong done to this young girl.

Tamar leaves in grief. Wailing and beside herself she ends up with her brother Absalom. Absalom tells her to wait until he decides the course of action. Now this brother had his eye on the throne all along and this helps his situation out...Then the one she goes to tells her - Don't take this to heart. The NIV states the Living tells us Don't you worry about it! Well, how could you do either one? Tamar lived the rest of her life a desolate woman in her brother's house. A house that would never know peace again!

Revenge and power that from now on represent this story! Absalom's desire for both of these two actions will bring down his world and those around him. Did anyone think about Tamar ever again? Do you wonder what happened to Tamar? We are left with she was a desolate woman in the home of Absalom. Her own brother stole her life from her...What happened to Tamar? Do you think she felt her father's love? Do you think she gave forgiveness to all that wronged her? Do you think she ever got over this terrible incident?

Choices. We all make them moment to moment, day to day, year to year. Do we think about end results in making them or just decide what we want and take it? Think before deciding!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie