A “through the bible” devotion from 2 Samuel 11 and 12.
Imagine having the account of your most shameful behavior published in the best selling book of all time. Peter’s denial of Jesus is recorded in scripture. Paul’s persecution of Christians is documented. Moses has to explain why he can’t go into the promised land in the Pentetuech. (He hit the rock to get water instead of speaking to it.) Noah gets drunk and naked after the floodwaters recede. Judah sleeps with his daughter-in-law Tamar.
I never like reading about David’s affair with Bathsheba and his attempt to cover it up, ultimately leading to the death of Uriah (2 Samuel 11). Everything is going so well for David, and suddenly, it all falls apart. Not only will his child die, but there will be conflict among his other children.
My heart breaks when I read David’s words, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 11:13). David hasn’t just hurt other people. He has turned against God himself. Any sin affects our relationship with God. David offers no excuses. He simply confesses.
I wonder how the author of 1 Samuel knew of this moment? I doubt that the prophet Nathan said anything. David must have talked about it. Perhaps he told the story when asked why he wrote Psalm 51.
When you think about it, all of our most shameful moments become Jesus most shameful moments. “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). In exchange, we put on Christ and his best moments, his righteousness.
All the people God uses have issues. They are broken. But it’s about the people God uses. It’s about the God who uses them. It’s about the gracious God who uses you and me.
Waite for it... 