Epic Fails : David
A boy--the youngest in a large family--chosen out of obscurity to be the next king of Israel. A teenager inexperienced in war up against an infamous giant; granted victory with a slingshot. A young man with access to the king and given in marriage to a princess. A soldier granted triumph over his enemies and the adoration of a country.
David was a man after God's own heart--the only to be described so poetically--who had everything a man could ever want. He perseveres through trial after trial, holding firm to his faith in God in incredibly dark storms. Through his early battles as an adult, David didn't waver or doubt his circumstances but believed that God would be good to him. And He was good, indeed. Rarely do we such obvious favor on a person as we see on David.
After the many victories David experienced and he had been king over Israel, things began to take a turn for David; not because how God favored David had changed, but because David grew complacent. It's in 2 Samuel 11 we see the great king and pillar of faith tumble. When David should have been at war, his lack of obedience left him in a vulnerable place that brought him temptation, and ultimately, sin. David had an affair with a married woman named Bathsheba, conceived a child with her, and had her husband killed in war.
I pray I'm always right where I should be--right where God wants me--and I pray that for you. No doubt being in the wrong place leaves us vulnerable to temptation, which can lead to sin if not careful. Thankfully God forgave David but it did cost him his child. David and Bathseba lost their infant because of their sin but God was gracious to forgive them.
The fact that David also had many wives led to great trouble. With the many children born into a divided family a family feud was inevitable. David's eldest son raped his half-sister, and her full brother then killed the first born son when David would do nothing to reprove the man. That same son who committed murder would then drive David out of the city and attempt to overthrow him as king. These heartaches could have been avoided if David had stayed true to God's word but he let his desires for women get the best of him.
Another major fail of David is the census he conducts in 2 Samuel 24/1 Chronicles 21 which God had commanded to Moses not be done. As a result of giving into the temptation of the enemy and playing into pride God judged Israel for three days--70,000 men died. When the angel reached out his hand to destroy Jerusalem God grieved and had mercy on His people.
David's mistakes affected hundreds of thousands of people, and ours affect others as well. No sin or mistake is kept hidden; they cannot remain on your burden. It's the consequence of sin. Through it all, however, God is good and He uses it for His purposes. I love what David shares at the end of His life as he reflects on God. In 1 Kings 1:29 he proclaims,
“And the king swore, saying, ‘As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity.’”
David made mistakes and he admits he's been through a lot as a result, BUT, through it all God was there for him. And God is there for you.
Questions/Thoughts
Are you guarding yourself as you should or in the back of your heart you believe you're too mighty to fall? Examine your heart in this moment and ask yourself if your armor is on and ready for temptation.
Do you believe what David proclaimed in 1 Kings 1:29 about God's redemption for your own life? How can you make this statement in your own life to the people around you?
