This passed Sunday Pastor Chris delivered a message that was title (I think) "Search and Rescue". This message was based on the parables in Luke 15. We are all familiar with these parables. I wonder though, how familiar are we with the notion of Search and Rescue? What about the times when God may send us out to search for those who wronged us, or even less drastic, being OK with God sending out the search party to look for those who have wronged us?
"Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him."
In today's reading King David finds out that one of his sons has murdered his brother and is hiding in a foreign land. Joab set David up by sending a wise woman to him to tell him that his actions in his personal life were not in line with the ruling he made on behalf of her son in a separate situation. This story was fabricated by Joab to help King David see his error. Absalom returns home and is a bigger headache then it was worth, but that is not the point of the story. The point is Search and Rescue: But God does not take away life; instead,, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him.
Sometimes it may be difficult to see that God loves those who have wronged you and I. Not only does He love them, but He has a desire to bring them into the "family". I understand that there are times when this may be harder then anyone could imagine but it must happen. King David allowed for the Search and Rescue team to find a son that not only killed a member of the family but who will eventually wage an all out attack on his father. God doesn't need our permission to send out a search party but He does want us to have a heart that is in line with His. This heart needs to guide us to forgiveness as well as a desire to see the lost found and rescued by our Father in heaven.
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