Second Samuel 12-14

God’s message to me: Sin has consequences. God will forgive us when we ask for it but, that does not mean we will not suffer the consequences of our actions. I heard a great example once.

A little girl breaks a lamp while playing. She is sad and sorry for her actions and her dad wipes away her tears and forgives her. “Great, that’s what God should do” people say. two problems. First, she asked for forgiveness and to many believe they can go to heaven without taking responsibility for their sin. You must recognize the sin and ask God to forgive it. Second, who pays for the lamp? The simple fact is that there was an action and a consequence and even if there is forgiveness the cost of the consequence still exists.

Jesus Christ paid the price for the lamp we broke but, until we ask forgiveness and accept the gift of salvation we still owe him for the lamp. They say you can’t take it with you and the fact is, this life is the only place where we have the opportunity to seek forgiveness. That opportunity stays on earth when we move on. If we don’t use that opportunity while we are alive we will have to pay for our lamp in hell. It’s not a pretty fact but, it is a fact.

Promises: Just as Forgiveness through Jesus the Christ is promised to all who accept Him, judgment is also promised for our sin. We can receive forgiveness from God but, the consequences of our actions are still coming. “That which you sow, that shall you also reap.” When a farmer wants tomatoes he doesn’t plant corn seeds. If he plants dandelion seeds he won’t get strawberries. By the same token, if you sow wild oats your going to get wild oats. You can’t do the wrong thing and expect to harvest good things.

Commands: Don’t create a double standard for yourself. No matter your position, that which you recognize as wrong by others is wrong when you do it too.

Timeless principles: Family life is complicated enough when it fit’s the ideal. Add wealth, power, multiple wives, royal intrigue and overindulged kids and you have a recipe for disaster. The TV Series KINGS is not off the mark in displaying a dysfunctional and scandalous royal family. While the scandals may have a bit more modern flair, the basic sins behind them are not only ancient they are the same ones that history shows existed in the Royal families of Saul, David and Solomon. In fact they existed through most of the royal families of Israel/Judah but, the sins of some of the later families would make you wish they stuck with adultery, murder, rape and theft. Sadly, some of the later kings found crimes that make those look like good behavior.

How can I apply what I’ve learned: Next time you begin to judge someone’s actions, examine yourself. There is often no better mirror for the misdeeds in our life than the misdeeds that make us most angry in others. David’s anger at the rich man in Nathan’s story which reflected David’s actions with Bathsheba and His protection of the widow who was reflecting his actions with his sons. When we see evil in others it is often most clear because we have done similar things ourselves. We must hold ourselves to the same standard we set for others and should understand the weakness of others because of our own weaknesses.

THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULD ACCEPT SIN. Just because weakness makes us vulnerable does not give us the right to forgive everything and say “nobodies perfect.” Sin is sin and we must stand against it. We must not support and encourage those who refuse to turn from it. We are to hate the sin and love the sinner but, you cannot lead a sinner from evil by wallowing in it with him or telling him it’s alright because he’s only human. GOD FORGIVES THOSE WHO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AND TURN FROM THEIR SIN.

more to learn for in-depth study: This passage often gets me into trouble because I tend to live by similar principles. When David’s son was sick and dying he mourned terribly, going without food for the entire week and refusing to get off the floor where he lay weeping and praying. When the child died, he cleaned himself up and ate. Worrying over and praying over a person while they are alive may be beneficial if the Lord wills for them to live. No amount of fasting and prayer is going to cure death if God allowed it to occur in the first place.

(it should be noted this does not mean I don’t believe in resurrection. In addition to the fact that God promised to let his followers perform the same miracles Jesus did and more, I have seen some evidence that God has raised people from the dead, even in the modern era.)

tomorrow: Second Samuel 15-16