2 Samuel 12:3 - Like a Daughter

NOTE: The devotionals with a video have been recorded for the PA system at Sanford/Sheldon (hospital and senior care). The text-only devotionals such as this one were written for me to read during morning Skype meetings with the hospice staff. 

We had to put our dog down yesterday. (Thank you for your concern, prayers and support!) I've been blubbering on and off for the past two days, trying to tell myself, "Get a grip, Ken.  A dog isn't a person. It's not like when you lost your parents. Think about your own patients. There are much more tragic stories involving loss of life during the pandemic." Etc., etc.

All my logical reasoning didn't comfort me like the following story did...

2 Samuel 12:1–3 (New American Standard Bible) —
 [After King David committed adultery and murder], 
2 Samuel 12:1–3 (New Living Translation) — 1 ...the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. 2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms And it was like a baby daughter to him {NASB}

Nathan was telling a parable, and went on to say how the rich man was going to feed a guest. Rather than butchering one of his livestock, he slaughters the poor man's "one little ewe lamb" and serves it on his dining room table.

David, not realizing that Nathan was telling a parable, demanded that the rich man be put to death. Before he was king, David was a shepherd boy. He was incensed because he could relate so well to the poor man. He himself probably once owned a lamb that wasn't  livestock, it was "like a daughter to him."

Usually we skip over the phrase, "like a daughter," because it was not the main point Nathan's lesson for David. Or was it?

I'm comforted by that descriptive phrase for two reasons:
1. The Bible doesn't think it's strange that an animal can be like one of the family.
2. The second reasons is from Isaiah 40:11 (New Living Translation) — 11 [The Lord] will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

Thinking of "one little ewe lamb...like a daughter" should give us a sense of how deeply God cares about us... in death as well as in life.

Father, We all carry burdens, even while we go throughout our day. Some burdens are known to others; some are known only to You. Either way, we deliberately choose to relax in Your arms and let You carry us, burdens and all, throughout this day. Amen.