2 Samuel 12, Proverbs 25

 

Read 2 Samuel 12, Proverbs 25

Verses for devotion - 2 Samuel 12:13-14, 19 to 20

13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.”

19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” 20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate.

Reflect

2 Samuel 12 taught us lessons about sin, consequences, forgiveness, and restoration. David sinned against God by committing adultery and murdering Uriah. He bore the consequences of his sins by the death of his child with Bathsheba. David  responded to his sin, bore the consequences and sought forgiveness from the Lord and the Lord restored him by blessing him with a son, Solomon.

From Verse 13 David showed deep remorse for his sins and immediately sought forgiveness from the Lord. He did not try to find excuses to cover his wrongdoing or leverage on his position as a King to challenge Nathan’s rebuke. Though his life was spared, his child had to die as a consequence of his wrongdoing. David sought the Lord and fasted with deep remorse but his child eventually died on the seventh day. What we could see from verse 20 was that David accepted the dreadful consequences of his sin and moved on. In fact in addition to the death of the child there would never be any peace in the household of David since then. He did not blame God for the death of his child and very quickly upon washing up and changing of clothes he went to the house of the Lord and worshipped. This was an act of complete surrender to God and His will, and David paid the “price” for committing such a grave sin. God forgave David and subsequently blessed him and Bathsheba with Solomon. The Lord also granted David victory over Ammonites and the royal city with great wealth and human resources from the city.

Relate

This passage taught us that no one is immune to sins. With technology advancement it has been so easy for anyone to fall into sins these days. Online pornography, gambling or cyberbullying has been so common and many can commit such sins without anyone else knowing. Perhaps during the time of David committing a sin or wrongful act might quickly raise suspicion and condemnation from others (that was why David plotted so meticulously to get rid of Uriah and cover the trace of his wrongdoings). Just imagine in today’s world and with all the available technology and gadgets, committing a sin without trace is a breeze. All of us are susceptible to temptation and moral failure, but it is important that we come to God in humility and with a contrite heart, trusting that He will forgive and restore (as in the case of David). Also note that our sinful act has consequences to others and ourselves (serious ones may lead to legal and criminal charges) and we will have to be accountable to our wrongdoings and face the repercussions that follows. Nonetheless the powerful message here is that God’s love, mercy, and grace ensure that we can always turn to Him and receive his forgiveness and loving embrace, even if it means we have to bear the consequences of our wrongful act (as in the case of David).

Rest

Father, we confess that we are far from perfect and we sin against You. But Lord You are perfect in all ways including Your unfailing love and mercy towards us, hence forgive us O Lord our trespasses, and restore us and our relationship with You. In Jesus name we ask, Amen

Alan Wong