Tuesday March 24, 2009 A PREVIEW OF GRACE
Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin; you will not die. But since you have shown total contempt for the LORD by this affair, the son that is born to you must die." Then Nathan went home. The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had given birth to for David so that the child became sick. David pleaded with God for the child; he fasted and lay on the ground all night. So David got up from the ground, bathed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He went into the LORD's house and worshiped. Then he went home and asked for food. They placed food in front of him, and he ate. David answered, "As long as the child was alive, I fasted and cried. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But why should I fast now that he's dead? Can I bring him back? Someday I'll go to him, but he won't come back to me." Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to bed with her, and she later gave birth to a son. David named him Solomon. The LORD loved the child and sent a message through the prophet Nathan to name the baby Jedidiah [The LORD's Beloved]. 2 Samuel 12:13-16, 20, 22-25 Maybe today's scripture is why so many people who lose children in death wonder if they are being punished for some sin. I don't think that is the implication at all. I think this was purely for David and David alone. Remember the other party to his sin was Bathsheba, and she was pretty much innocent, but she lost a child too. However, the lesson here is that David sought the Lord to change His mind, but when He didn't David still worshiped Him! About seven years ago DHR placed one of our grandchildren in our custody. This child's mother had an addiction to crack cocaine and we thought she was doing better. Unfortunately, she dabbled again and her child was taken from her. Well, with Jessica and her two children living here I soon found myself in "pity city." I felt that maybe their living here was a punishment for something I had either done or not done in raising my children and even possibly the way I treated my mother years ago. Therefore, I felt that I was suffering from "what goes around comes around," so to speak. Now, is that bad thinking or what? Well, whether it was bad thinking or not, it helped me face some realities. list of 3 items 1. All I deserve from this life is hell - anything beyond that is a blessing. 2. God wants me to live a life in front of my children that will show them Jesus. 3. Children are a blessing from the Lord. list end I guess that is why the Lord put today's scripture in front of me - I found it quite comforting. However, I also noticed something else; nowhere else in the Bible do I find the name Jedidiah mentioned. Either David gave Solomon the Lord's chosen name as a middle name or something like that, or he did not obey. In any event, God still blessed David in many ways and still called him, "a man after God's own heart." Now, I'm not recommending that we disobey God, however, I am saying - when we fall and we repent - He grants us grace! Father, Your grace truly is amazing. I praise You because I realize that like David, I deserve a severe punishment for my sins, but because of grace - well, I just praise You. Thank You for the reminder of what Jesus did for me on the cross and that I am covered by His blood! ******************************************* O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected] window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
