Destruction & Devastation

I have seen the destruction that a storm can bring to trees, homes and buildings of all shapes and sizes. I’ve also seen the destruction of relationships from the storms of life. I’ve seen decisions made between two people that leave a path of destruction where the ramifications are felt for several generations to follow. Marriage relationships are very complex and often very challenging, but marriage can bring such joy and beauty into our lives. The Lord wired us for relationship!

David stepped way outside the boundaries of his relationships. Even though he more than one wife, he saw another man’s wife and wanted her too. David was probably innocently walking around on the roof of his palace when he saw Bathsheba bathing. As the king, he could get what he wanted, when he wanted it. He had her brought to the palace and he slept with her. He sends her home and she discovers she’s pregnant. He sends for Uriah, her husband, and brings him home from the war hoping he’ll go home and sleep with his wife and help David cover-up his sin. Uriah had such integrity & devotion to his king, his commander and his country that he would not go home. David goes even further to try to cover up his sin. Check this out…

14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In it he wrote, ‘Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so that he will be struck down and die.’

16 So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. 17 When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27 After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord. (2 Samuel 11:14-17; 26-27 NIV)

Adultery – Conspiracy – Murder. This sounds a lot like some TV show drama. Unfortunately it was Kind David. He is in a really dark place of sin. He seems captive to his own wants and wishes no matter the expense to himself or anyone else. Sin can blind us to reality of our responsibility. As I think about David’s behavior, I can’t imagine how people who knew of this drama felt about the situation. I’m very confident that the rest of David’s family knew. His staff knew and yet he thinks know one knows.

I think it’s pretty common practice to underestimate the devastation of my sinful choices. I am thankful for the Lord’s protection over me for some stupid situations that I’ve been in that could have been devastating. I want to have a healthy fear and respect for the enemy who is constantly seeking to destroy me. Sin separates me from the Lord. I really need the help of His Spirit to keep my guard way up at all times.

Pressing On!

Dwayne