David’s “Mistake” with Bathsheba

Jesus saw God everywhere. His teachings only make sense in his context of a God-saturated world. Otherwise, they are far, far too lofty to attain. King David saw God everywhere, too. He filtered everything coming his way through a lens of God everywhere, and God already there.

Except when he didn’t.

Unlike Jesus, but like us, David could ease God out of the picture when his presence was inconvenient. Not, mind you, when something or someone like Goliath was coming at him, but oh so quickly when something or someone like Bathsheba was.

Maybe read that paragraph again, because we are quick to look to God in our problems, but equally as quick to look away from God in our temptations.

The prophet Nathan seeks to make David aware of the magnitude of his actions, with a reminder that from God’s perspective, he didn’t just behave poorly. No, from God’s perspective, “David, you despised me.”¹                                                                                

We would say, “But no, Father, I wasn’t despising you when I did that. I was just allowing myself a little indulgence. I meant nothing against you. Please don’t take it personally.”

Apparently he does.

“Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes?”² God asked David.

You see when I used to sin, my main concern was not being exposed (caught). Nowadays I don’t really sin; like everyone else in this vapid culture, it’s more like “Mistakes were made.” Nobody really sins. That’s so Old Testament.

But if I am exposed, I’m first and foremost remorseful that I got caught. Then I’m remorseful I have to humble myself and grovel with an apology. But rarely do I think as David did, “I have sinned against the LORD.”³       

No wonder God considers David “a man after my own heart.”⁴                             

But here’s the thing: David didn’t just forget about God’s presence, he forgot about the presence of God’s enemies as well. So now Nathan ups the cosmic ante with a reminder to David that, “you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt.”⁵

“The enemies of the LORD … show utter contempt?”

What? Who?

I picture a stadium or arena of sorts. We are all “playing” out our lives in full view of God and Jesus, but also in full view of Satan and his cronies. God loves you; Satan hates God.

To whom shall I give the victory?

God reminds us: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”⁶

It is? I thought it was just me doing my own thing, making “mistakes”, but no big deal.

Apparently it is.

In this arena of life, will I give God and Jesus the high-five celebration, or will I “make the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt” for my Heavenly Father?

Next time you face a problem, or a temptation, ask not “What would Jesus do?” Ask instead, “What would I do, knowing,seeing Jesus is beside me and within me?

To whom shall I give the high-five victory?

If You Want a Little More:

I picture myself going through life: here comes a problem; here comes a temptation. I have a choice: I can view this situation through a lens of God, already and everywhere there, and draw on his power, or, I can face the giant alone, and draw on my own power.

I have a choice: my power or His power? You have a choice:

 ⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”⁷

This divine power is there for us when we have placed our trust in Jesus for him to be our Savior, and also our Lord as well.

Jesus has already kicked Satan’s arse. The war is won.

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”⁸                                                   

I love that: “made a public spectacle of them.”  Go Jesus!

The war is won. We are only part of the rear-guard mopping up action. But it’s an important action.

Next time you face a problem, or a temptation, ask not “What would Jesus do?” Ask “What would I do seeing Jesus is beside me and knowing I have a divine power within me to demolish strongholds?

And then kick Satan in the arse again, for God.

1.2 Samuel 12:10       2. 2 Samuel 12:9       3. 2 Samuel 12:13

4. 1 Samuel 13:14       5. 2 Samuel 12:14     6. Ephesians 6:12

7. 2 Corinthians 10: 3-4 Bold added            8. Colossians 2:15