Gospel Reflections #1101: David Carried his own Cross

2 Samuel 15:14 “David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, ‘Let us flee at once, lest we be unable to escape Absalom. If we do not hurry, Absalom will soon overtake us, harm us, and put this city to the sword.’”

This passage depicts the moment of the greatest crisis in King David’s life, when, having learnt of the rebellion led by his own son Absalom, he resolved to flee Jerusalem.

Jerusalem was a natural stronghold, and had David chosen to hold out in a siege, he would have had a very good chance of victory.

However, David did not do so; he chose to flee.

He did so because he believed that if he remained in the city, the holy city of Jerusalem would be engulfed in the flames of war by Absalom’s forces, and many innocent people would lose their lives by the ‘edge of the sword’.

The humility to accept God’s judgement David had once committed the sin of taking Bathsheba, the wife of his subordinate Uriah.

At that time, the prophet Nathan had declared to him, ‘Woe shall come upon your house.’

David viewed Absalom’s rebellion as ‘God’s judgement’ for his past sins; without defying God, he chose the path of humbly accepting his suffering (flight).

David was not only king but also Absalom’s father.

Had he chosen to confront Absalom in Jerusalem, it would have resulted in a bloody battle between father and son.

Caught in the deep sorrow and inner conflict of a father—not wishing to kill his son, nor to be killed by him—David made the decision to leave the capital.

David was once a brave hero who stood up to the giant Goliath, yet here, at first glance, he appears to be fleeing in a pitiful manner.

However, we see in David an attitude of humility before God, as he did not cling to his honour or the throne, but prioritised ‘the safety of the people’ above all else.

When faced with a situation like David’s, we might be tempted to justify our own position and choose to fight in order to maintain our priorities.

David fled from Absalom, but he did not flee from God.

Despite his human frailties, David carried his own cross as he made his way towards God.

The Christian life is not about visible victories or defeats, but a constant struggle to cultivate a character of true worth.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.