Daily Devotional 2 Samuel 12: 1-14
Have you heard this familiar saying: “When you point a finger at someone else, you have three fingers pointing back at yourself”? While most of us relish pointing out the ignorance, foolishness, or corruption of others, we are often experts at ignoring our own responsibility or sinfulness.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. PSALM 51:1
David thought he had gotten away with murder. After all, he was the king and able to cover his tracks well. But no one can escape the eye of an all-knowing God. The Lord sent His prophet Nathan with a message. Nathan did not confront David directly. Instead, he told the story of a rich man with lots of sheep and cattle and a poor man who owned one precious lamb (vv. 2–3). This lamb ate from his owner’s table and even “slept in his arms” (v. 3).
When a traveler came to the rich man, the wealthy man took the lamb from the poor man and cooked it for his guest. As David listened to this story, he was outraged. Suddenly, he became deeply concerned with what the Lord would think of the rich man. God was on the side of his righteous anger: “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die!” (v. 5).
In one of the most famous verses in Scripture, Nathan turned the story on David and proclaimed, “You are the man!” (v. 7). Nathan’s parable had gotten under David’s defenses and allowed him to see his actions from God’s perspective. Convicted by the guilt of what he had done, coupled with the hypocrisy of his outrage at Nathan’s story, David repented. He confessed, “I have sinned against the LORD” (v. 13). While there were serious consequences to David’s sin that would resonate for years to come, God forgave David (v. 13).
>> Take a moment and reflect on your own life. Are there areas of sin that you have overlooked or ignored? Know, that because of Christ’s death and resurrection, you can be forgiven.
Pray with Us
Lord, today we pray for those heavy-laden with secret sins. Show them Your forgiveness for the vilest offense. The most righteous among us falls short of Your holiness, yet all can find redemption in Jesus’ blood.