Good Morning Friends,
The Lord loved David too much to remain silent
and allow him to get away with his sins. A barrier between David and God had
been built by David’s sin and God wanted it removed. God chose an obscure
prophet to confront David. Imagine standing before the most powerful man in the
world and pointing a finger at him and telling him that he had sinned. That was
the assignment God gave Nathan. David could have had him executed for his
audacity. Nathan couldn’t be sure how David would respond. But with obedience
and boldness Nathan did what God asked him to do and trusted the outcome to
God.
He told David a story. "There were two men
in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large
number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe
lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It
shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a
daughter to him. A traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained
from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler.
Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for
the one who had come to him." (2 Samuel 12:1-4)
David responded with fury at the rich man. "As
surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for
that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity."
(2 Samuel 12:5-6)
Nathan’s next statement cut David right to his
heart. "You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7) Nathan proceeded to reveal to
David that he knew about David’s sin.
How would David respond to the rebuke God had
sent him? David admitted his sin. "I have sinned against the Lord."
(2 Samuel 12:13)
If you had been Nathan, how would have
responded? Would you have been obedient? Would you have shown boldness in
confronting David? Would you have trusted God with the outcome?
If you had been David, how would you have
responded? Would you try to keep covering your sin? Would you deny the charge?
Would you find some excuses to minimize your guilt? Would you shift the blame
to Bathsheba?
Nathan obeyed and David admitted – they both
responded right.
His, by Grace, Steve
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