To be fully HUMAN — A Daily Reflection

 

 

2 Samuel 11 NIV

 

When David got off track and started to sin, he really got on a roll.  He started out by not being where he should have been… not doing what he should have been doing.  Instead of going out with his army to lead the fight against the Ammonites, he stayed at home.  The ark went with the army, but David sent Joab to lead them.  We don’t know why David decided to hang around the palace that particular time, but it was a major mistake because it left him wide open to temptation.  If he had not stayed at home, he would not have seen that foxy lady, Bathsheba, bathing on her rooftop.  If he had not asked about her, he would not have known who she was.  If he had not sent for her, he would not have slept with her.  If he had not slept with her, she would not have gotten pregnant with his child.  If she had not gotten pregnant, he would not have tried to get Uriah to go home and sleep with her (thereby making it look like the baby was Uriah’s).  If Uriah had not been so loyal and refused to leave the army, David would not have been looking for another way to cover up his own sin.  If David had not been trying to cover up his own sin, he would not have ordered that Uriah be killed (on the battlefield, of course, so it wouldn’t look like murder).  Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera…. 

 

With each of David’s sins, he placed himself in harm’s way.  By being where God didn’t want him to be, by doing what God didn’t want him to do, he put himself right in the direct path of temptation.  At this particular time in his life, when he was confronted with these particular sins, David was weak… and he sinned… and sinned again… and again… and again. 

 

This is one area where we should NOT use David as a role model.  Because as Christians, you and I face the same types of situations all the time.  We have weaknesses.  We have areas in our lives where we are prone to sin.  If we have any functional brain cells, we know exactly what those weaknesses are.  We know exactly what’s going to get us into trouble.  Common sense says we should stay out of situations that will cause us to sin.  But, like I said, we’re weak creatures.

 

The solution?  Find a friend in whom you can confide, and call that friend when you’re tempted to get yourself into a bad situation.  Ask that friend to be ready to counsel you and help you avoid tempting situations.  And pray.  Ask God to give you the strength to listen to your friend and to avoid those situations altogether.  He will do it.  You just have to be willing.