Daily Devotional for Monday, January 8

Amnon Desires Tamar

“And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her,” 2 Samuel 13:1.

“Follow your heart.” This might be one of the most trusted and most used sayings of our day. “Only you can know what is right for you.” This seems so obviously true that to deny this truth is to deny that water is wet and that the sky is blue. “We are our own, and no one can tell us what to do.” My feelings are what matter. I must be true to myself before I am true to anything or anyone else.

And so we have the truisms of the twenty-first century.

Except, these sayings reflect more than just our century. When you read the first line of this section of 2 Samuel, you know this is not going to turn out well. Amnon is in love with his half sister, Tamar. Nothing good is going to happen here.

And it did not. The whole horrible scene that later occurred, however, began with an unrighteous thought, an unholy desire, one that was not kept in check with the Scriptures. It seems obvious to us that this incestuous relationship was wrong, but we know it was wrong because of what the Bible says about it. No sexual relationships this close—half siblings—should occur. Amnon should have believed the Word of God more than he believed his feelings for Tamar.

He did not, though, and he dwelled on his sinful thoughts until he acted on his sinful thoughts. No doubt he felt that his feelings were true and good, but they were false and wicked.

“Follow your heart” is perhaps the worst advice ever given. We must conform our hearts to the Word of God, and let our hearts follow the truth.

REFLECTION
Thoughts lead to desires, desires lead to plans, and plans lead to actions. Control your thoughts to control your life.

Jason Rutherford