Family Matters

Family issues are always difficult and complicated. While we are all connected by blood it does not mean that there are not huge differences and massive disagreements.

1 Kings 1.1-27

Reference:  v.6  His father had never interfered with him (Adonijah) by asking, ‘Why do you behave as you do?’ He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom. (NIV Bible)

Explore:  My father comes from a family of six children.  In Australian terms this is quite a large family.  All his siblings married and have had children, their children have given grandchildren and in one case a grandchild has given birth to great-grandchildren.  As the families multiply it is certainly challenging to keep up to date with everyone.  To be honest it’s an effort to remember names let alone other more specific details like career paths and relationship status!
It seems that King David was having similar issues in keeping up with what was going on in his family.  While he was struggling with old age and health one of his own sons had started setting himself up as king.  It seems that King David had no idea that this was going on around him.  In fairness we must keep in mind that he did have over 20 known children however Adonijah’s quest for king was a pretty personal attack on David and his other sons.

Application:  Family issues are always difficult and complicated.  The relationship we have with members of our family are different to any other relationship we may have.  While we are all connected by blood it does not mean that there are not huge differences and massive disagreements.  However, what is true is that you can  not sweep family issues under the carpet.  If left alone family conflict can have devastating affects on the rest of the family – no matter how large or small the family unit is.
While David was a great and mighty king of God he certainly had his fair share of family issues.  His story does show that sticking your head in the sand does not help the issues get any less but leads to family division and even death.  Now, in today’s world we are not dealing with multiple wives as David was and our every day family conflicts do not end in death.  However within a family there are still multiple opinions and while a literal death is not common the result of family conflict is often the death of a relationship.
Families are incredibly challenging and complex but it is so important to work through family conflict as it does have an impact on other areas of our lives.  I’m not sure I would pin King David up for Father of the Year but we’re not expecting family awards, we’re just aiming for family appreciation.

Prayer:  Lord, you have created families in all different shapes and sizes.  While each family has it’s own complexities help us to work towards bringing harmony in each of our families today.  Amen.

Family: can’t live with them, can’t live without them.  Why do you think this is so?

1 Kings