Dangerous Relationship

Published 10/10/19

Read

"In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem." 2 Samuel 11:1

Reflect

What can happen when we're in the wrong place and the wrong time? What can happen when we have too much idle time on our hands?

Perhaps that's where the problem began. David wasn't where he was supposed to be. The scripture says that it was spring, "the time when kings went off to war." So why did David stay home? He was king, and he was a warrior. His belonged on the battlefield, but he stayed back.

Often when we're not where we're supposed to be, trouble happens. The Bible tells us that David was a man after God's own heart (see Acts 13:22). David had lots of God confidence. Yet even so, David found himself at the wrong place at the wrong time.

He strolled outside onto his balcony, and across the way he saw his neighbor Bathsheba taking a bath on her balcony. Right then, David could have made an extremely smart move by turning away and going back inside. But he lingered. He watched. He fantasized. Finally, the fantasy became reality. This is the progression of sin.

The apostle James outlines this progression in James 1:13-16: "Remember, when someone wants to do wrong it is never God who is tempting him, for God never wants to do wrong and never tempts anyone else to do it. Temptation is the pull of man's own evil thoughts and wishes. These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterwards to the death penalty from God. So, don't be misled, dear brothers" (TLB).

David's sin could have been avoided if he had leaned on his confidence in God to direct his footsteps back inside or to the battlefield where he belonged. But he ignored his God confidence and allowed himself to sin.

Pray

Lord, help me to not be misled by temptation. Give me the strength to resist sinful desires and soul-robbing choices. Amen.