What I’m reading lately

During the last few days I finished the book of 1 Kings in my read-through of the King James Version of the Bible. I found it interesting how a series of ungodly acts by King David did not characterize his life in God’s eyes. When David’s army was out fighting a war, David stayed behind and committed adultery with the wife of one of his soldiers. She became pregnant. When David’s initial efforts at a cover up failed, he issued an order for a military maneuver that guaranteed the husband would be killed in battle. Giving the order was, in effect, murder.

Yet in 1 Kings 9:4 and 1 Kings 15:5, David is held up as how a king should walk before God. The heart “perfect with” God or as translated in the New International Version (NIV), “fully devoted to” God surely can only happen with a personal relationship. When confronted with his crimes, David acknowledged his sin against God. God “put away” his sin, and he didn’t die (2 Samuel 12:13). His actions, however, opened the door to heartache and violence in his family. He had to deal with consequences, but he didn't deal with them alone. In David’s own words in Psalm 68:19-20 (NIV):

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death. Psalm 68:19-20

When we accept the gift of God’s grace we can trust that he is with us, even in the midst of “consequences.”


Earlier "What I'm Reading Lately" posts:
01/07/2010
01/01/2010
12/06/2009