Hello Sweet friends,
Today’s Reading … Psalm 50, 53, 60, 75, 20, 65-67, 69-70, 2 Samuel 10-12, 1 Chronicles 19-20
Do you feel like everything just shifted? Our hero, King David, a man after God’s own heart has fallen into sin. Can I be honest? I find such hope in this story. Does that seem strange? Let me explain.
As I read 2 Samuel Chapter 11, I felt like I was watching a movie. I found myself thinking, “No David! Don’t stay home form the battle….no….not a walk on the roof….ugh, don’t send for Bathsheba!” But there it was, sin upon sin in the life of David. It is heartbreaking. So, where is the hope? Chapter 12.
There is hope in accountability. “The Lord sent Nathan to David”(2 Samuel 12:1). What a gift, the fellowship of a true friend who loves us enough to have the tough conversations, to point us to truth in the midst of our running from God.
There is hope in humble, honest, repentance. “Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord'” (2 Samuel 12:13a). This example is inspirational to me. At the moment David was confronted with his sin, he took responsibility and repented. We witnessed David trying to hide his sin with the murder of Uriah. That only compounded his pain and the collateral damage in this tragedy. But now, David is ready to lay his horrid mistake at the feet of His gracious God. He stops running and returns to God.
There is hope in forgiveness. “Nathan replied, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin” (2 Samuel 12:13b). In the very same verse, God forgives!! He doesn’t waste a single breath. When David repents and returns to Him, he forgives. We have that same promise today. No matter what sin you are carrying, you can choose to lay it down. You can stop running and return to God. And He, in His perfect faithfulness, will not waste a breath before extending grace and forgiveness in your life.
There is hope in the future. “But now that He is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him but he will not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23). The consequences of David’s sin are great. The loss of a child is more than anyone can bear. This act of moving forward, is supernatural. David, in this moment, has returned to God, set his eyes on Him and is ready to move forward faithfully according to God’s plan. If you are in a place where moving forward needs to be a supernatural event, it can be. Tell God where you are, the consequences that are still holding you down and ask Him to give you the strength to take the next step in faithful obedience to His plan for you life. He can be trusted and He will come through for you, just as He came through for David.
There is hope! Stop Running and Return to God!
Love you all,
Kinsee
“so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return empty, but accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it”(Isaiah 55:11).