Still Vertical – Living in Faith – Part 1

There is an amazing period of time consisting of roughly 27 years, from the time of Jesus’ resurrection to Paul’s second imprisonment. This is the period in which the early church is formed, and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is shared boldly by his followers. We don’t know as much as we’d like about the activity of the early church during this time period, but we do have the writings of Luke in the book of Acts.

The story recounted in Acts is both compelling and riveting, starting from the time immediately following Jesus’ resurrection, with his instructions and promises to his followers.

Acts 1:4-11 - On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.  “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

I think it is safe to say that there is no way they could have understood the power of the Holy Spirit, and they were probably completely freaked out by the ascension, regardless of the fact that Peter, James and John witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus (as recorded in Mark 9). It is also clear that his followers still have not understood Jesus’ intentions. They are stuck in the past, and thoughts of Israel returning to the glory it held during the time of David. In addition, it is clear from repeated accounts in Acts that Jesus’ followers believed he would return soon. I’m certain that at some point, it must have crossed their minds that their own teachings about Jesus’ coming being foretold from the time of David (over 1,000 years prior) might be a hint that things will not unfold so quickly.

At any rate, Jesus’ followers do what he asks, and they stay in Jerusalem, in constant prayer. We are told in Acts 1:15 that there are currently 120 believers, and they begin to act as a single body of believers as they await the gift from the Father.

That’s when things get a little strange.

Acts 2:1-4 - When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Actually, I prefer the version of verse 1 in the King James version, where it is stated that they were all with one accord in one place. 

But before we get into this, perhaps we should say something about Pentecost. For Christians, Pentecost marks the birth of the church, but Pentecost was a Jewish celebration that took place 50 days (hence the term Pente) after Passover. During this time, there would have been Jews of roughly 70 different nationalities visiting Jerusalem, with most of them speaking in different languages. On this particular Pentecost, something truly incredible happened. God sent the gift of the Holy Spirit. Literally, God came to indwell with us.

As an aside, let me mention that the verses above seem reminiscent of verses in 1 Kings.

1 Kings 19:11-13 - And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

Notice how a violent wind preceded God’s presence in 1 Kings, and we see the same thing again in Acts. Then we see something described in terms of fire, and this is reminiscent of what we see in Exodus when God gave us the law, and made a covenant. 

The happenings here are part of God’s new covenant, and as Jesus’ followers are filled with the Holy Spirit, they are speaking in tongues. Not only that, but recorded further in Acts 2, we learn that all of the visitors in Jerusalem can hear them speaking in their native tongues, even though all of the men filled with the Holy Spirit are Galilaeans (Acts 2:7). Incredible!

There are some who initially pass this off as ridiculous, and even say that the men are drunk, but then Peter lifts his voice and delivers an incredible sermon that pierces the hearts and souls of all who are listening (Acts 2:14-36), causing them to ask what they should do, and leading to Peter calling them to repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (verse 38).

Acts 2:41 - Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about 3,000 were added to their number that day.

The number 3,000 above is significant, and I want to return to God originally giving the law to Moses and making a covenant with his people, as recorded in Exodus. You might recall that when Moses goes to the top of the mountain to meet with God, the people become impatient, and they break the covenant that they had so recently made with God by creating and worshiping a golden calf, and even making sacrifices to this calf.

Exodus 32:25-28 - Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.

Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about 3,000 of the people died.

Notice that God’s original covenant with the law brought 3,000 deaths, and God’s outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost resulted in 3,000 lives being saved. Mover, notice how the presence of the Holy Spirit is transformative!

Acts 2:42-47 - They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

This was a powerful time. The Holy Spirit completely transformed the lives of a multitude of people, and perhaps for the first time, they were acting in one accord, and thinking collectively, instead of individually.

Prayer – Lord, we thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, and your constant presence in our lives. We pray that you will continue to guide us to do your will, lead us to live in community with others, and boldly share our faith.

David - Part VI

Vacuums Get Filled

Life is a patient teacher, and many of its lessons are repeated throughout the ages. The story of the life of David offers many lessons, and many of the ones from the last 20+ years of his life are consequences of the vacuum that David created by his poor judgement and lack of activity.

By the time of David’s and Bathsheba’s union, some of David’s children were grown. Among these were Amnon (his oldest son), Absalom (his third oldest son) and Tamar (his daughter). (Note: We never hear about David’s second oldest son, Daniel.) Absalom and Tamar were brother and sister, and Amnon was their half-brother. Tamar was beautiful, and Amnon lusted after her, leading him to devise a scheme to lure her into his chambers and have her. The encounter ended in rape, and even worse, with Amnon disgracing Tamar by putting her out. Absalom learned of what happened and took Tamar in, asking her to not speak of this, and not to worry about it (letting her know he would deal with it). I think the following passage speaks to the complete dysfunction of David’s household.

2 Samuel 13:21-22 When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry. And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.

Although David was angry, he took no action. But Absalom was not willing to let it go.

2 Samuel 13:23-29 -  Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast. ²⁴ He went to the king and said, “My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?”

The king replied, “No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.” Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing.

“Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?”

“Why Amnon?” the king asked. But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.

Absalom told his men, “Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him! Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!” So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

Absalom fled too, heading to the land of the Philistines, which was the ancestral home of his mother (his grandfather was the king of Geshur). At this point, David became despondent, and fell into a pattern of inactivity. Interestingly, he did not grieve for his son Amnon, but spent his time grieving for Absalom. During this time, his kingdom was crumbling around him, and Joab (David’s friend and the commander of David’s army) became desperate to help. So, he devised a plan to (2 Samuel 14) to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem so that David will stop grieving his absence. But David was not willing to allow Absalom to reenter the palace.

2 Samuel 14:25-33 - Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot. He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds! He had three sons and one daughter. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she was very beautiful.

Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he never got to see the king. Then Absalom sent for Joab to ask him to intercede for him, but Joab refused to come. Absalom sent for him a second time, but again Joab refused to come. So Absalom said to his servants, “Go and set fire to Joab’s barley field, the field next to mine.” So they set his field on fire, as Absalom had commanded.

Then Joab came to Absalom at his house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”

And Absalom replied, “Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn’t intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him kill me.”

So Joab told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed low before the king, and the king kissed him.

Now, Absalom had more in his mind than reconciling with his father. He had his eyes on the kingdom, and since David was not acting like a leader, Absalom decided he would fill the void (see 2 Samuel 15). So, he bought a chariot and horses, and hired men to run with him, and he portrayed himself as a man who would be king. He stationed himself outside the city gate, and met people who wished to see David to have their matters judged. And, slowly, as David continued to do nothing, Absalom began to win over the people. When it was clear that his support had become substantial, and many people had lost faith in David, Absalom went to Hebron, raised an army, and marched on Jerusalem to overthrow his father and become king.

David and his faithful learn that Absalom is coming, and they flee the city. Then Absalom gathers his advisers and plots a course of action to pursue David and his followers, with the intention of killing David. But, one of David’s faithful is actually posing as an adviser to Absalom (2 Samuel 17), and causes just enough delay for David and his followers to find safety, regroup, and gain strength. Ultimately, this leads to Absalom’s defeat and death (2 Samuel 18), and grieving from David and nearly costs him the kingdom for good.

2 Samuel 19:1-8 - Word soon reached Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom. As all the people heard of the king’s deep grief for his son, the joy of that day’s victory was turned into deep sadness. They crept back into the town that day as though they were ashamed and had deserted in battle. The king covered his face with his hands and kept on crying, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Then Joab went to the king’s room and said to him, “We saved your life today and the lives of your sons, your daughters, and your wives and concubines. Yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed of ourselves. You seem to love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that your commanders and troops mean nothing to you. It seems that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be pleased. Now go out there and congratulate your troops, for I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a single one of them will remain here tonight. Then you will be worse off than ever before.”

So the king went out and took his seat at the town gate, and as the news spread throughout the town that he was there, everyone went to him.

Afterwards, there was considerable division in Israel, and David had a lot of work to do to reunite the kingdom. Unfortunately, he showed poor judgement in his handling of things, and ultimately caused further rebellion within Israel from a man named Sheba and his followers. Eventually, David’s kingdom was restored, but he was never the same.

David become further removed in his old age, forgets his promise to Bathsheba, and ultimately causes the death of his fourth son Adonijah at the hands of his young son Solomon (1 Kings 1).

David was clearly paralyzed by his sin. His actions in the latter part of his life point to considerable depression, and collateral damage to those around him was considerable. And yet, David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22). People are often perplexed by that statement. But God meets us where we are, knowing our human side, and turns our mistakes into victories. Like us, David failed again and again. Like us, the Lord loved David, and David loved the Lord. Read Psalm 31:9-24. I believe David wrote this in his last years, and revealed his true self.

Psalm 31: 9-24 - Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress.
    Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away.
I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness.
Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within.
I am scorned by all my enemies
    and despised by my neighbors—
    even my friends are afraid to come near me.
When they see me on the street,
    they run the other way.
I am ignored as if I were dead,
    as if I were a broken pot.
I have heard the many rumors about me,
    and I am surrounded by terror.
My enemies conspire against me,
    plotting to take my life.

But I am trusting you, O Lord,
    saying, “You are my God!”
My future is in your hands.
    Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.
Let your favor shine on your servant.
    In your unfailing love, rescue me.
Don’t let me be disgraced, O Lord,
    for I call out to you for help.
Let the wicked be disgraced;
    let them lie silent in the grave.^[a]
Silence their lying lips—
    those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly.

How great is the goodness
    you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
    blessing them before the watching world.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
    safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence,
    far from accusing tongues.

Praise the Lord,
    for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.
    He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
In panic I cried out,
    “I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy
    and answered my call for help.

Love the Lord, all you godly ones!
    For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,
    but he harshly punishes the arrogant.
So be strong and courageous,
    all you who put your hope in the Lord!

David - Part V

Forgiveness

We hear a lot of about forgiveness, and as Christians, we know plenty of scripture that has been woven into our very being. Some popular ones are listed below.

Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Matthew 18:21-22 - Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Personally, my favorite comes from the story of the prodigal son.

Luke 15:11-20 - Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

Notice that the father’s forgiveness happens before the son’s confession.

And, of course, we have all been washed in “The Lord’s Prayer,” and the phrase

And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.

We sometimes almost think romantically about forgiveness, and unfortunately, more often than not, forgiveness is misunderstood. This misunderstanding can lead to feelings of guilt and great pain. We hear people say things like “Why can’t you let it go? You have to forgive him and take him back.” The problem is that forgiving, forgetting and reconciliation are all different. So, before we go further, it might be helpful to set the record straight.

1. We are not God.
2. Forgiveness can take time.
3. Forgiveness DOES NOT involve condoning or approving what happened.
4. Forgiveness DOES NOT have to be contingent up someone confessing or admitting or apologizing for what they did. It might not happen.
5. Forgiveness DOES NOT eliminate the consequences or prevent justice.
6. Forgiveness DOES NOT imply forgetting what happened. There are times when you forget and move on, but sometimes you don’t. In fact, sometimes it is important to remember.
7. Forgiveness DOES NOT always lead to reconciliation.
8. Forgiveness DOES NOT always lead to renewed trust.
9. Forgiveness DOES NOT always lead to boundaries being removed.

So, then what is forgiveness? Forgiveness is an act that allows us to live in the present, instead of dwelling on the past. It removes our inward focus associated with an action, and frees us to be a child of God. Unforgiveness is poison, intended for another, that kills us instead.

There is a great teaching about forgiveness in the story of David, illustrating items 3, 4, 5 and 6 above, and it’s stuck in the heart of one of the most famous stories in the old testament. You might recall that after the tragedy at Ziklag, David reconciled with God, all was restored, and for a long period of time, David worshipped the Lord, and sought His guidance in all matters. During that time (see 2 Samuel chapters 1-10) David was successful in nearly all endeavors, including becoming King of Israel, defeating all of his major enemies, bringing the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (after one failed attempt), and receiving an incredible promise from God

2 Samuel 7:16 – “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.”

I’m sure David was riding pretty high at this point. He was a handsome man, a great warrior and a successful leader. He was King of a great nation, his kingdom was secured from all major enemies, he was rich and popular beyond belief, and on top of everything else, he had God’s promise. And then, just when it looks like there might be a happy ending, David shows his human side.  He gets bored. There are no great conquests, and David is suffering the same malady that we suffer when we remove our focus from God, and place it on things. The things we have are only temporarily satisfying. Everything we attain loses its “new car smell,” and leaves us looking for the next thing. Things do not lead to contentment. David has taken his eye off God, and he makes the mistake that so many of us make. He begins to feel entitled, and he overreaches.

2 Samuel 11:1-4 - In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. Then she went back home.

David has everything a man could want, he is finally bored with war (it’s only 40 miles away), and he reaches for something that belongs to someone else. David has surely noticed Bathsheba before. He did not own binoculars. He’s at least 50 years old, and he probably does not have eagle eyes. How far can Bathsheba be situated from the palace? David has probably noticed her before. He may have planned this. This might not have been his first conquest of this type. However, let’s give David the benefit of the doubt. David has had his pleasure, and he probably isn’t worried about consequences. Unfortunately, deception and sin often leave an ugly trail.

2 Samuel 11:5 - The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”

Oh my... Now David has a problem. You see, Bathsheba’s husband is off at war, she’s pregnant, and word will get out. The servants are probably already gossiping. David thinks as quickly as possible, and in the panic of the moment, he comes up with a ridiculous plan.

2 Samuel 11:6 - So David sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David.

Now, let’s be clear on a few things. The text quickly glosses over Joab, but let me assure you that he is an intelligent man. The wheels are turning in his head. He knows exactly who Uriah is, he has seen David operate in the past, and he knows something is up. Rabbah is only 40 miles from Jerusalem, and Joab is the commander of the army. He may well have spies in the palace, and he probably knows full well what is going on. Joab is probably filing this away for later use. And, of course we know David is sending Uriah home, thinking he will sleep with his wife Bathsheba, and all will be well. She’ll give birth, and people will be convinced that her pregnancy was from her husband. 

Unfortunately, Uriah was a little more honorable than David.

2 Samuel 11:7-11 - When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.

David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?”

Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”

Undaunted, David decides a little alcohol will take care of the situation.

2 Samuel 11:12-13 - Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.

Things did not go David’s way, so he does what many desperate powerful men do. He has Uriah killed.

2 Samuel 11:14-17 - In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”

So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

That’s right, David committed adultery, and then added multiple murders to sweeten the deal. Of course, being the man that he was, David did the (cough) honorable thing.

2 Samuel 11:26-27 - When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son.

By the way… The mourning period was typically 7 days. Also, I’ve left out one important detail, and it’s the one that David also forgot. At the end of verse 27, we read

But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.

Now, if you think the Lord always acts swiftly, then think again. David has married Bathsheba, and she has bore him a son. Time has passed. David is probably thinking he’s gotten away with this, and that is why he is taken so off guard when the prophet Nathan visits him.

2 Samuel 12:1-6 - The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, ‘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 that 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.

‘Now 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 who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.’

David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.’

Wait for it… Nathan is about to lower the boom.

2 Samuel 12:7-14 - Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.”

‘This is what the Lord says: “Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.”’

Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’

Nathan replied, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.’

Notice: Nathan tells David that he is forgiven, but

1. There are serious consequences that go far beyond the death of David’s and Bathsheba’s son.
2. God might have forgiven David, but He is not going to forget what happened. David’s punishment is a life-long punishment.

If you don’t think the rest of the punishment is severe, then think again. Some people read Nathan’s last statement in 2 Samuel 12:14 as meaning the death of the child is the punishment. Read it again. Nathan basically says, “You won’t die for your sin, but your son will.”

The calamity in David’s household is monstrous. One of his sons (Amnon) rapes his half-sister Tamar. Another (Absalom) burns with anger over this, plots the murder of his brother Amnon, and completes the task. David is so afflicted with pain and guilt that he is unable to take action in either of these matters, and this leads to further strife. Then Absalom conspires to overthrow David’s rule, and he sleeps with David’s concubines. David is forced into war against Absalom to save his kingdom, and then he suffers the remorse and calamity that befalls his entire family when Joab kills Absalom in battle.

Unfortunately, collateral damage is the biggest part of the punishment associated with our sin. David is forgiven, but the suffering and punishment is still present. God did not condone or approve what happened. God’s forgiveness took place before David admitted his sin. God’s forgiveness did not eliminate the consequences for David’s actions, and no one forgot what happened. In fact, we are still reading about it today…

I pray that you will find release from any guilt you have carried from not being able to forget, trust and renew relationships with those who have caused you great pain. Trust may or may not be renewed, and relationships may or may not be repaired. I pray that you realize that you can love those close to you, and those that have been placed at a distance. I pray that you will find the strength to forgive someone who has caused you pain, so that you can move forward with your life, live in the present, and enjoy God’s blessings for your life.