King David became complacent with God and he ran into trouble within a short time. While he ought to be at the war front defending his country, he remained at home to enjoy the comfort of his palace, but he sent his servants. Meanwhile, Satan noticed David’s complacency, and he set him up for a downfall. While in the palace, King David lost his self-control and committed adultery with his neighbor’s wife. He also killed the woman’s husband in an attempt to cover up his sin. The sinful instance marred David’s name and dignity; God was embarrassed and he promised to severe him with heavy punishments. The consequences of David’s sin broke the camel’s back! The sinful moment that stained David’s testimony is as reported in the scripture, “It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said,
“Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child”… “In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die” (2 Samuel 11:1-5; 14-15).
“Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun’” (2 Samuel 12:7-12).
Lesson:
Nemesis will catch up with evil people, no matter how far they run! Anyone who does evil and believes he can get away with it is joking! God knows how to arrest wicked people and punish them. No one can run outside the radars of God; since he knows all things, he will reward all things! Therefore, a wicked person who prospers today may still suffer the consequences of his or her actions tomorrow. Hence, all people are challenged to fear God and do pleasant things under his watchful eyes.
Prayer:
Dear God, please save me from sin. I know you see all things, and you will reward all things. Therefore, I ask you to please give me the grace to behave appropriately in your presence. Do not let me abuse my opportunity, but help me to satisfy you with holiness at all times. Please overwhelm me with the strength of your Holy Spirit so that I can finish my race well on earth, and end up with you in heaven. For in the name of Jesus Christ I make my requests. Amen.
