Hello, thank you for joining me today as we read from the devotional, Give Him 15, an appeal to heaven.

I think you're going to enjoy this devotional today.

It's titled Running with the King's Heart.

2. Samuel 18 is a sad chapter.

King David's traitorous son, Absalom, is killed and his coup overthrown.

A runner, as they called them back then, needs to run with the bittersweet news to David telling him,

the rebellion is over, but your son is dead. A fast, gifted runner named Ahemeyaz wanted to carry the news,

but David's general chose an unnamed Kushite, and off he went.

Ahemez, however, was not to be denied.

Please, let me also run.

The general finally said okay, and the Hemayas took off.

He was so fast that he eventually passed the Kushite and proudly delivered the

message to David that the coup was over. Speed had won or had it. When David then asked about

Absalom, Ahemaiah answered with embarrassment that he didn't know.

He hadn't cared enough to find out about David's son.

The Kushite then arrived and gave David the full message.

The coup is over, but your son is dead.

Ahemias was fast, very fast. He started last, but arrived first. This gifted man ran in vain, however.

You will have no reward for going, the general had said.

Ahemias didn't have the complete message.

And he didn't have it because he was not aligned with the king's heart.

David had not only defeated an enemy, he had also lost a son.

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