David Stayed Behind

2 Samuel 11:1  In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

The headlines screamed, “World Leader Caught In Adultery!” And then, “Political Coverup Leads To Murder!”

No, those are not the latest from Fox News or MSNBC. They tell the story of King David, who committed adultery with Bathsheba. The adultery was bad enough, but when David finds out she is pregnant while her husband is at war, David arranges to have her husband killed on the battlefield.

Murder is where this story ends, but it begins in today’s verse. In the spring… when kings normally go to war… David stayed behind.

David should have been with his soldiers in battle. David shouldn’t have been in Jerusalem to see Bathsheba on her roof. He wouldn’t have been attracted to her, wouldn’t have committed adultery with her, and wouldn’t have had to cover his crime with murder.

It all started because David wasn’t where he was supposed to be.

I can think of many situations in my life where I got myself in trouble because I wasn’t where I was supposed to be. I wasn’t where I was supposed to be physically. Or I wasn’t where I was supposed to be spiritually. Whatever the reason, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I can’t blame anyone else, I put myself in that position.

True freedom in our lives begins when we accept responsibility for our actions. I was not pushed to do wrong because I grew up in a single parent household. I wasn’t destined to do wrong because I lived in a bad neighborhood with drugs and violence. All of this things are true about me, but I had to make choices to stay out of trouble. And so do you.

Ask God to forgive you of your sins, he will do it. Then make sure you are not staying behind anywhere in your life.

Today’s Readings: 2 Samuel 11,12; Psalm 51; Matthew 23