Falling in the Pit: Part 3 of 5

Falling in the Pit: Part 3 of 5

Caught .. . Confession . . . Consequence . . . 

Verse for Today:    

2 Samuel 12:1-15  Click on verses to read online

Caught

In the last post, we watched David takes a nose dive deeper into the pit of sin.  After committing adultery, David has Uriah murdered since he could not trick him into sleeping with his wife, and others were killed in the process.  He marries Bathsheba in hopes his sin will be swept under the rug.  David’s story sounds like a current movie script.  However, the story is far from over, God’s divine mirror is about to be held up to David.

As you read the next part of David’s story in the scripture, did you notice David’s reaction to Nathan’s story?  I find Nathan’s approach very wise.  What better way to penetrate David’s heart than with a story that would incinerate him with emotion.

Now, if Nathan had gone to David and said “David, I know and God knows what you are trying to hide.  So, why don’t you fess up?”  David probably would have tried to deny it a little while longer.  Yet with the story he could see the gravity of his sin and what harm and pain he had caused many, but most importantly the sin he sinned against God.  As soon as Nathan says, “You are the man! . . .” David’s heart sinks and he knows that he has been caught.  The lie is no longer hidden, but out for all to see.

Have you ever been caught like David in a lie either by your parents as a child or teenager or by your spouse?  It is a horrible feeling in the pit of our stomach.

As Nathan continues on with his word from God for David I can see him get very animated as he is talking, “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.  I gave you . . . your master’s wives . . .  and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. . . Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? . . .”  David had been given everything he needed and more by God.  God would have given him more if he asked. David had many wives to choose from.

So, why did David walk down this slippery path?  The same reason any of us falls, slides or plain jumps into the pit of sin.  He wanted to.  He let his desires take over control of his morals and wisdom from God.   None of us can really point at David and say “I would never,”  because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

Confession

The Bible doesn’t say, but we can imagine that at this point when Nathan finishes his message from God that David’s head falls in shame.  Then as he can barely bring his head back up, he looks Nathan in the eye with a broken and contrite heart and says, “I have sinned against the Lord.”  I can see the pain in his eyes as Nathan has just held up the mirror of God to David’s black and sinful life.

When I studied David’s story in Beth Moore’s Bible study David: A Heart Like His, I felt like God had held up the mirror to my life and I could see all the selfish and hurtful things that I had done.  It made me sick when I finally saw my dark sin against the righteousness of God.  Ah, but like David, God washed over me His mercy and forgiveness.  I finally had a deep cleansing of my soul and all those years of shame were washed clean.  No longer could the enemy feed me his lies that I had ruined it forever.  I was a sinner saved by grace!  Joy truly did flood my soul.  It makes me smile as I remember the feeling of being cleansed and completely forgiven.  I fell in love with Jesus more.

Consequence

As with everything that we do there is going to be a consequence.  Some are good when we have made a good decision and some are bad when we have made a bad decision.  The choice is up to us.  Nathan, in a calmer tone now that David has confessed, declares the consequence for his sin.   The baby is going to die.  I don’t know why God made this the consequence, but His ways are higher than mine (Isaiah 55:8-9).  I would hate to imagine that conversation David had with Bathsheba.

The Work of Revival:

Maybe you have never been “caught” by others for your sin.  Maybe you can hide your sin from others, but God knows.  God desires an obedient heart from His children.  Does that mean we do everything perfectly?  NO!  It means that when we fail to follow God whether it is because we are pursuing our own selfish desires or because we took a wrong path that led to many more bad decisions.  God desires us to confess to Him with a truly repentant heart.  Confess simply means that you tell God what you have done and that you are truly sorry.  A repentant heart surrenders their own personal desires to God, and pursues the desires of God’s heart. Spend time with God today and ask Him if there is any sin that you need to confess.

This does not make us stale robots passing out tracks and only talking about the Bible all day long.  God has richly blessed each of us with an array of gifts and abilities to be used to bring Him glory.  God has something special and fun for each of us to do each day.  This could be as simple as cooking a favorite meal for your husband to as big as going to Thailand for the summer to share the gospel of Christ.  We all have a part in God’s plan, but we choose whether or not we are going to participate.

How has God used your bad decisions to help you grow closer to Him?

Please share your story in the comment area!  You never know who you might encourage.

For me, my bad decision was buying a business when I did not have enough working capital to keep it going in the first year.  So, I created an unbelievable amount of debt that has just about choked me the past three years.  I will be paying this debt off for another three to five years most likely.  I did not heed the warnings of some family members, and so I will spend six to eight years getting out of a hole that I created.

The bad economy did not help, but ultimately I had made the decision.  I pay for that decision every month with almost everything that I make.  I have learned how to completely trust God with what I need, and yes some days it is downright scary to think about.  I am more understanding of those who have put themselves in similar situations.  I won’t bore you with the list of consequences that brings, but I am sure you can figure out many of them.