Three Things to Learn From Two Men: David & SolomonSample

Wrong Place, Wrong Time

Have you ever found yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time? It’s the worst feeling. You know that you shouldn’t be there. Sometimes it’s embarrassing, but at other times those moments can be fatal. This was the case with David.

As king, David was supposed to be at war with his army. Instead, he was at home. He goes onto the rooftop for a stroll and finds that he can see a woman bathing in her own home. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time. You would hope that David would turn away and go back in, but this was not the case. What did he do? He asks people who she is and finds out that Bathsheba is Uriah's wife, one of his military officers. Despite knowing this, David calls her to his palace for a night of passion that ends in a lifetime of pain.

And the story gets worse. When David learns Bathsheba is pregnant, he sends for her husband Uriah to come home. But Uriah did not sleep with his wife. So, David had Uriah killed; he betrayed his own military to cover up his sin. After Uriah died, David thought nothing would happen to him, but a prophet, Nathan, came and spoke to him. The prophet brought judgment from God. David sinned in secret, but his punishment would be displayed in public. Because of David's sin, his son would die. What started out as a normal day turned into a nightmare.

But David repented of this sin. He took his sin to the Lord and told Him he had sinned against Him. Isn't it great to know that God can forgive our sins? He can, even the sins of murder and adultery. God can forgive anyone who repents of their sins. He forgave David. David wasn’t a young guy who made a foolish mistake; he was in his 50s. He knew better. Remember that age can bore us, success can blind us, and indulgence can destroy us. David had multiple wives and committed terrible sins, but he has a terrific Savior. David repented of his sins.

Repentance is not that you just got caught and you feel sorry, but it is realizing you sinned before a holy God. One commentator says repentance is ”a change of mind: not of one’s individual plans, intentions, or beliefs, but rather a change in one’s attitude about God.” This true repentance is what accompanies saving faith in Christ. It is inconsistent and unbelievable to suppose that anyone could believe in Christ and yet not repent. It seems scary, but it is in repentance that God washes us clean. He reminds us of what He did on the cross for us. Repent of your sins today, knowing God forgives anyone who repents.