thoughts out !oud

a Christian’s news, views, opinions and occasional poetry …

When God says ‘No’

Posted by Mathew | 2 May 08

In the last few days, I’ve been reading over 2 Samuel 12:13-23. It is pretty mind-blowing to think that this story of the results of David’s double-sin of murder and adultery has powerful application for us Christians in our lives in the here and now, despite being written approx. 2500 years ago.

Perhaps I say this because I can see a lot of myself in David in this account in 2 Sam 12. There have been some wrongs in my life in recent years that I have committed and did not repent of - always putting them off, putting them off. It is not so much that I’ve committed the same sins as David had in this story, but rather the impact of his sins’ consequences that I’m relating to.

Without divulging too much personal detail, I now confess as David did that “I have sinned against the Lord”. Often, when we are in the grip of sin, it seems that either we are reluctant to let go of it, or we simply do not acknowledge that it is present - we are in denial. Coming to a full confession ultimately is about acknowledging your sin, acknowledging that indeed, you have sinned against God and against God alone. So, from verse 13, I share in David’s stark statement - with its full weight of gravity that I am without excuse. It’s as if, suddenly, a great veil is removed and there you are - naked and exposed and ashamed.

And shame and guilt is certainly what David experienced.

For Christians, once we have acknowledged our sin and genuinely repented (meaning, to have turned away from our sin completely), we can confidently claim forgiveness from God. This is the whole point of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection - that by Christ’s life we are ransomed and bought. There ought to be no doubt in the Christian’s mind that they have God’s forgiveness.

But forgiveness does not guarantee the removal of your sins’ consequences. In fact, it rarely ever does.

With David, having committed both murder and adultery, he should have been put to death. Irrespective that David was king, he is not above God’s law. Also, doubtless, given the time that it took for David’s sin to come to light, David himself would have been judging and sentencing to death other men for their crimes of murder and adultery. (What was going through David’s heart and mind as he was passing down these sentences! It must have been tearing him apart!) So the consequence of sin is that it must be paid for. This is what law is - Justice. About setting records right.

Yet David’s life was not required. God, through the prophet Nathan, said that David would be spared his life, but due to his sin the payment would be demanded of him by the taking of his son’s life! In verses 16 to 19, it is clear that David had a deep love for the child. Despite being told by Nathan that God would surely take the child’s life, David petitioned God nonetheless. “Who knows?” said David. “The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.”

And it’s at this point that a painful lesson hits home to me. And it is my current fear. That, through my folly and sin, I have hurt someone that I too love deeply; that I may have hurt them so much that the relationship could be lost to me. Like David, I am begging mercy and petitioning God that He may send a reprieve - and not carry out as He did with David and say ‘No’.

At the moment, I cannot say if God has answered my plea with that guilt-wrenching, heart-aching ‘No’. I still have hope. But if the answer is a resounding ‘No’, then I know that I am to at the very least take David’s lead. I am to quit my fasting and prayer, belt up and acknowledge that my sin has cost me dearly and that I must live with those consequences and get on with things and not wallow in self-pity, but trusting and giving thanks to God my Saviour.

And somehow, through my folly, I pray that God will create something beautiful. For despite David and Bathsheba’s sin, Solomon was later to be born of their union, to herald in a great time of peace and blessing for the nation for many years of his reign.

Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

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