An incestuous relationship took place right under the roof of David when Amnon molested his sister, Tamar. It seemed that the issue was swept under the carpet as there was no account of any decisive step taken by David to right the wrong. Apart from the record that David was angry when he heard of this evil, nothing else followed. As events played out later, unresolved conflicts have a way of taking on new life which could be worse than their initial strains. David found this out when Absalom got Amnon killed two years down the line. Had the issue been addressed fully, there might not have been this disastrous consequence noted in our text.

It is common to see believers pray without sitting down to plan. However, we must learn to make planning an accessory to prayer.

There is something to learn from Absalom, though. He cuts across as a meticulous planner.  The revenge of his sister against Amnon had been two years in the making. It happened when everybody had forgotten and life seemed to have continued as normal. By killing Amnon, Absalom ended up in exile. On his return, it took two years before he could see the king, and that was after he literally gave a chokehold to Joab. After reconciliation, it took another two years to steal the hearts of all Israel and sack his father. Absalom believed in taking time to strategize. If that worked for evil plans, it will definitely work for noble ones. It is common to see believers pray without sitting down to plan. However, we must learn to make planning an accessory to prayer.