2009 – Day 138.May 19 – The Consequences of Sin

2009 – Day 138.May 19 – The Consequences of Sin

Passage of the Day: 2nd Samuel 11: 1 – 12: 13 … Linked to 2nd Sam. 11 – 12 for study ...

My Journal for Today: If you’re reading along with me in this study of David, we’ve finally come to that juicy story of David’s rejection of God’s way. And wow [!], when David does something, he doesn’t just do it half-heartedly. No, he does it up big time. Think about it. Our David, the so-called “man after God’s own heart,” commits adultery, lies, cheats on his wives, conceives a child out of wedlock, conspires to commit murder, and orders a contract killing. And the “hit” is not just on some obscure soldier in David’s army. It is one of his most highly decorated military leaders; and probably a close friend in arms. He commits sin upon sin upon sin upon sin; and then God waits until just the right time to send Nathan, the Prophet, to confront David.

As Swindoll points out, scholars have said that it could have been about a year between the sins of 2nd Sam. 11 until the confrontation by Nathan in chapter 12. And that may seem like a long time; but I hope you have learned, as have I, that God’s timing is always perfect. I agree with Swindoll that there are times when I question God’s timing, thinking that The Lord should intervene sooner than I think. But I’ve learned my lesson over the years … that God is God; and I am not … that (and it’s documented in Isaiah 55: 8 – 9) God’s ways are higher than my ways … and that God knows exactly what to do and when to do it.

But the confrontation by Nathan and the confession by David which followed (well documented in Psalm 51) illustrates the overriding truth that sin, especially flagrant conscious rebellion by a believer against God and/or His ways, ALWAYS has consequences.

David was not some ignorant, new believer, who was doing something bad because he was not mature in his faith. No, the actions we read about in these passages are being committed by the young boy of faith who slew Goliath. He is the one whom God had saved from Saul all those years; and he was the one who had become King when Saul fell on his sword. But David is also the one who let his guard down over selfish sin; and he was the one who chose lust over his love of God. He was the one who set aside what he knew to be truth; and chose to believe Satan’s lies. And he was the one who was revealed in all of this by God through Nathan.

If we have sin we’ve stuffed away in the closet of our souls, do we really think God has not seen it? Do we really think, without confession and the atonement of Christ’s blood, we can keep this sin a secret? Do we really think God is just going to let it go THIS ONE TIME? Duh …!!!

I don’t need to belabor this issue; … this is another lesson into the truth of Jeremiah 17: 9, which I bring up so often in my devotionals. We are walking through life with flesh and a heart which is deceitful beyond measure; and Satan loves to parlay that reality into situations, like the one for David in today’s history lesson, where our heart will fall pray to his temptations.

Get it straight, fellow warrior! SIN ALWAYS HAS CONSEQUENCES!!! And if we know and believe 1st John 1: 9 [linked here for you if you don’t know it – memorize this one because it is one of the most important New Testament truths!], what are we waiting for? Let’s bring it out into the light and confess it and be cleansed of it FOREVER!!! I don’t’ think I need to write any more about this.

My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, help me to stay vigilant and vulnerable in Your sight. Amen