Child

There is a story in the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel which I want to share with you. When King David and his wife Bathsheba had their first child it became apparent the boy would not live very long. For seven days the child lay near death.

During this time King David was in a period of mourning and fasting. He lay all night upon the ground asking God that the child might live.

Finally, on the seventh day the child died. The servants of King David were afraid to go in and tell the king what had happened. They were afraid he would do some harm to himself. But, when the king saw his servants whispering to each other he knew the child had died. He asked them if it were so and they answered yes.

King David got up, washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes. Then he went to the house of t…