2 Samuel 12: 5 -7 &13 5/22/2018*

"David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, 'As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.' Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man!"
.... Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

How do you respond when your sin is exposed?

These verses record the meeting between Nathan the Prophet, and David when he was confronted with his sin of adultery with Bathsheba.

David could have responded in anger at the accusation. As King, he had the power to have Nathan executed.

David also could have deflected the blame. He had a tough history.  He had been the youngest child, neglected and bullied. Later he had been pursued for no reason and tormented by Saul his king and mentor…he could have said his actions were a result of his environment.

But David did not respond in anger or self-pity.  He took the blame. He accepted the fact that his choices caused the pain in his life and acknowledged his sin.

David’s response was confession, remorse, and repentance.

How about you? How did you respond the last time you were confronted?

David makes lots of mistakes, but the title of “man after God’s own heart” is connected to one trait. David’s life is not self-centered, it is God-centered and when he fails God, it breaks David’s heart and leads him to repentance.  Does that describe you? 

Examine your life today…are there things you need to own?  Have you been dodging blame, and making excuses?

Sin grows when it is in the dark…drag it into the light….Confess it and accept responsibility and let God heal your soul.  Make His joy the most important thing in your life. That will put you on the path to becoming a man after God’s own heart.  

“A man can fail many times, but he doesn't become a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.”  John Burroughs