Devotional - May 27, 2004

It's really not fair you know, making me choose between 2 Samuel 12, John 16 Psalm 119:71 for today's devotional. I could spend a lot of time on each of these selections, so what we'll do is use all three.

2 Samuel finds David being confronted by Nathan for his sin against Uriah. "You are the man," said the prophet, indicating that David's sin was so grievous to God that even David knew it, though he wouldn't admit it unless confronted.

Then there was the writing of David in Psalm 119:71: "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees." Did David learn from what he did wrong? No doubt, even though his sin cost some other people as well. The truth he carefully hid was brought to light by God's man to give David a chance to confess, repent, make retribution and restore his broken relationship with the Lord.

Enter John 16; Jesus reveals the sole purpose of His leaving for heaven is to permit the Spirit of truth to come after Him. Was it this truth by which Nathan exposed David's conscience? Yes, and much more. The conviction that David had as a result of Nathan's confrontation, is now afforded every child of God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit who has taken up residence in our heart. Simply stated, when we sin, the Spirit of truth searches our heart and raises our sin above the pile of garbage where we've tried to hide it from God.

Now, each of us must determine just how we'll deal with the truth of God's word. Ignore it? If you will - at your own peril. Discard it and minimize the need to confess it? Only if you want to see God take you to the bottom of your spiritual life for a season. Listen, agree and take steps to gain God's forgiveness? One can only hope.

Unfortunately, a countless number of God's people have forgotten what the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit "sounds" like. We've come to expect God to deal with our ignorance the same way we do. But He doesn't. He loves us too much to allow sin to take us down without a fight.

David's life demonstrates how to win the war of personal failure and God's convicting fire. Only a person running from God will try to put out the fire of conviction by fanning it. I truly hope that doesn't describe you. If it does, enter the next spiritual lesson. If you know someone like that, don' stand too close to them or you may get burned.

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( 2Sa. 12:1-31 Jn. 16:1-33 Ps. 119: 71-80 Pr. 16:4-5 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society