READING: 2 Samuel 11-12, 1 Chronicles 20, Psalm 51
“Against you—you alone—I have sinned and done this evil in your sight.”
Psalm 51:4
Let me start with some simple sentences whose words carry so much emotion and history behind them that it’s difficult to assess:
- “Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor.”
- “Kennedy Assassinated in Dallas.”
- “Gunman Kills Martin Luther King in Memphis.”
- “Twin Towers Downed by Hijacked Planes.”
To this day, even those of us who were not alive at the time can recognize the repercussions of these events. Our world changed because of them. No single headline could fully capture all the emotions of those days.
Today, I read a Bible verse that brings forth similar emotion: “David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her” (2 Sam. 11:4). It was just one act, and it was a private one. It was simply the immediate and overwhelming passion of a king for a beautiful lady named Bathsheba. Nobody would even need to know about it, in fact. One bad choice need not cost much.
But, the rest of the story shows us that this one act changed much. Bathsheba became pregnant with David’s son. David, in a desperate attempt to cover up his adultery, eventually had Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, killed in battle. Then, David and Bathsheba’s first son died as God’s judgment on David. What was the temporary pleasure of sin led to horrendous consequences. All David could do was confess his wrong to God and seek His forgiveness: “Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me” (Psa. 51:3).
We are wise to remember—and more importantly, to believe—that our sin will cost us something. Even one act.
ACTION STEPS:
- Turn from any temptation you face today.
- Thank God for graciously offering you forgiveness and grace.
PRAYER: “God, I praise You for Your forgiving love. Keep me from sin today.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Psalms 32, 86, 102, 103, 122