No matter how much we miss each other, if we don't have a forgiving heart,

we will have no choice but to distance ourselves from each other.

For two years, Absalom had been in Jerusalem

without seeing his father, King David, even once.

He wanted to meet his father and tried to get General Joab

to mediate on his behalf, but Joab refused to meet him

(2 Samuel 14:29).

In desperation, Absalom ordered his servants to set fire to Joab's barley field,

which finally got Joab to meet with him (vv. 30-31).

At that meeting, Absalom said to Joab:

"I asked you to come because I wanted you to go to the king

and ask him why he brought me back from Geshur

if he had no intention of seeing me.

It would have been better for me to stay there.

Now, please arrange for me to see the king.

If I am guilty of any sin, let him put me to death" (v. 32).

Reflecting on Absalom's actions and words,

I think Absalom missed his father, David.

He wanted to see his father.  He just wanted to meet him.

However, despite bringing him back from Geshur to Jerusalem,

his father David did not see him even once for two years.

This led Absalom to tell Joab

that he would have been better off staying in Geshur.

Reflecting on this passage,

I think that no matter how close a father and son live under the same roof,

an unforgiving heart creates a distance between them.

A heart filled with hatred drives people apart,

but a forgiving heart brings them closer together.

No matter how much longing there is,

\without a forgiving heart, distance between people is inevitable.