| II Samuel 12:1-31; John 16:1-33; Psalm 119:65-80; Proverbs 16:4-5
Just a little background, in the previous chapter we saw King David admiring the beauty of a lady named Bathsheba. Problem with that – her husband Uriah is a loyal soldier in David’s army. The opening sentence is “In the spring when kings march out to war…” When all of the other men were going to war it says that David hung back at the house. If you aren’t where you are supposed to be then there’s always the potential for trouble. He calls Bathsheba to his home, they end up in an affair and she becomes pregnant. The penalty for what they’ve done is death. In order to cover his sin, David has Bathsheba’s husband put in the heat of battle so that he’s shot down and killed.
As the time for the baby to be born draws close, the Lord sends Nathan the prophet to speak to King David. Nathan lays out a story about how a rich man takes a poor man’s little lamb, a lamb that was so close in the family that it was treated like a daughter. What a great analogy he chose. He couldn’t have touched the king more. Since David was formerly a shepherd, he intimately understood the love a person can have for an animal. He cried out at the injustice and said the man that did this deserved to die. Nathan replied, “You are the man!” All of a sudden the gravity of his sin overwhelmed his heart and instead of justifying like Saul would have, he immediately confessed and repented.
Funny how when we feel like we’ve gotten by with something for a little minute we start to coast thinking maybe God just turned His head on this one. Although David didn’t come out unscathed, he was blessed. Again, the penalty was death, and even though the king didn’t die, he didn’t escape the consequence of his sin. So even “a man after God’s own heart” that is forgiven has to walk out what he’s sown. He was told the sword would never leave his house and his wives would be given to another, and even though he committed his sin in secret, his punishment would be done in the open. Also, the child born from this sin would die.
After the baby is born, he becomes very ill. King David prayed hard, fasted, and laid on the floor. Can you imagine how guilty he felt? His people were so concerned about him. When the baby died, they were afraid to tell him because of how bad he was taking the sickness, they thought he was liable to go over the edge at the word of the baby’s death. Just the opposite though, David got up, washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes and sat down to eat. His servants were amazed and asked him why he was so upset before but now that the baby has passed away, he’s back to normal. I love what he told them and I think it’s a great perspective on death. “While the baby was alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let him live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I’ll go to him, but he will never return to me.”
If we live long enough, we are most assuredly going to lose someone dear to us. We have to remember that death is not the end, it’s only the beginning. It is merely a portal to the next phase of life. We are all eternal beings, the decisions we make here will determine our future. In the meantime, we cannot live for the dead, no amount of grieving will bring them back. Be sad, feel what you feel, then move forward. We must live for the time that we have been given. After the death of his two daughters, a great man once said, “I would resign from life, but I can’t find the desk.” There is no resignation desk where you check out. Live your life, the good, the bad and the ugly. Learn your lessons, enjoy your assignment and keep your heart ready to meet God and when your time comes, you’ll join those who have gone on before you, and what a time that will be. “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be, when we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory!” (That’s a verse out of an old song, just in case you didn’t get it – ha)
PRAYER:
Lord, forgive me of sin and save my soul. Help me to deal with loss without falling apart. I thank You for the power of Your Word. I am grateful for the encouragement and the comfort that it brings me. I thank You that You didn’t gloss over the sins of people so that I can glean from their lives and know Your heart and character. I’m glad I can see You are for people, You are long suffering and gracious with us. Thank You, thank You, thank You, I know that I can endure anything as long as You walk with me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. |
