Oct | 27 | Too Late Joe

Key Word:- ASK

Title:- Too Late Joe

2 Samuel 12:19-20 Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshipped.

Apparently it was the famous ‘Skirt Scene’ in the film ‘Seven Year Itch,’ that fuelled the flames of anger between Marilyn Monroe and her then husband Joe Dimaggio. He thought the scene was pure exhibitionism and the argument that followed, drove him to violence between them which then led, after just nine months of marriage, to divorce. In 1962 just 8 years later, Marilyn died of a drug overdose. Dimaggio, for the rest of his life, would send fresh, sweet smelling flowers to her grave, every, single, day.

We need to be challenged by this last sad picture. When a dream, a project, a desire, a person, is dead, it is too late to then effect change and blessing on those things. We can change, but for them it’s over. Regret may cause us to offer up many prayerful tears, and though this may be good for us, though this may be necessary for us, though it may be life itself for us, for the dead things, the passed things, the things that are gone, these prayers are as effective upon them as sending fresh flowers each day to the place where they now lay.

I wonder how much effect those flowers would have had, if for nine months Joe had sent them daily to a living wife? You see my point don’t you? Where there is life, there is hope. In our text today we can see that David knew this and it drove him to prayer.

Friends let’s make sure that all of our prayers are completed and that all of our desires and needs are laid like flowers before the throne of the living and all loving God each and every day of our lives. Yes indeed, let’s make sure we pray, while there is life and hope, sending fresh and fragrant flower filled requests to the living God each morning. Maybe when we have done this, we can then find rest in the Sovereign Grace of God. With whatever He then decides, we can rise up from our knees, anoint ourselves and move on, knowing that we prayed all we should; we did all we could.

Listen:- Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

Pray: - Lord, may my daily requests be like sweet smelling flowers to you O Living Lord. May all the colours of my deep desires delight your eyes O God. Lord, come to rescue, save, protect and provide today. Amen & Amen.