mercy

Such A Thing! These are three words that are used mostly when referring to bad, wicked, or sometimes unbelievable things.

I know I have had times in my life when I have used these words. Some of these times are times I would rather not remember or share about. They were times that brought pain and shame to my life. Times when I never thought "such a thing" could or would happen in my life.

What about you? Have there been some times that "such a thing" has happened to you?

King David knows about "such a thing". In 2 Samuel 11-12:25 we read about the story of David and Bathsheba. King David had decided to stay home in the spring when kings go off to war.

He just happened to see Bathsheba bathing on her roof top and then "such a thing" happened. David brought her to his palace, became intimate with her, she became pregnant while married to a soldier named Uriah in David's army. Then David proceeded to cover up "such a thing" by bringing Uriah home to be with his wife Bathsheba but to David's demise, Uriah would not do "such a thing" while others in David's army were in open fields fighting.

Unfortunately David decided to have Uriah put on the front lines of battle so that he would meet an early death. How could David do " such a thing" to such a loyal servant?

David resorted to doing "such a thing" to cover up his previous "such a thing"! Seems David's "such a things" were beginning to multiply. Seems one bad thing done in secret leads to another. But sometimes what we think we did in secret was really not done in secret after all. Everyone seems to forget that God sees everything.

David thought he had succeeded in his plan until God stepped in and sent Nathan the prophet to rebuke David for doing "such a thing". Nathan did not point out David's sin to him immediately but instead used a story to get a rise out of David.

2 Samuel 12:1-14

The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

"Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."

David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did SUCH A THING and had no pity."

Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the Lord the God of Israel says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword, will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'

This is what the Lord says: 'Out of your household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.' "

Then David said to Nathan, " I have sinned against the Lord."

Nathan replied, " The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."

Wow, what a sad terrible story! One bad decision by David to stay home from war and his whole life would be changed. Not for the good either. For the worst. His household never saw peace again.

David's son Absalom is the one that slept with David's wives on the rooftop of David's palace in sight of all Israel.

Although Absalom would eventually meet his demise for doing "such a thing" to his father, King David, it was through Absalom that King David reaped what he sowed. You can read about it in 2 Samuel 16:21-22.

What is the point of this devotional called "Be Set Free From Such A Thing"?

I believe God wants us to know that when we choose to do "such a thing", we might think that no one knows about it, but God does. He saw it happen. We might think that we have covered it up but be assured that God will bring it to light one day. He will handle it in his own way. In a way that will certainly convict us that it was sin. Fortunately for us if we confess our sin as King David did, God is willing to forgive us and set us free. Unfortunately, as King David did, we will reap what we sow. David sowed death and he reaped death.

What have you been sowing? How many "such a things" have you committed, thinking that no one saw it. Thinking that you have covered your sin for good. Nothing can cover your sin but the blood of Jesus. Nothing can set you free like having your sin brought out into the light. Either we can confess our sin or God will gently but lovingly bring our sin into the light.

Take some time to search your heart and think about these "such a things". Do you want God to uncover your sin or do you want to confess it before he has to go to such an extreme measure? God loves us and only wants the best for us. He knows that when we try to cover our sins we carry burdens that keep us from being free to live the abundant life that he intended us to live.

Psalm 51 is the prayer that David prayed after he had done "such a thing". Let's join him and pray this prayer to our Lord with sincere hearts today about any such things we may have in our hearts that we need to confess.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, The God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Thank you God for forgiving me. Thank you for your mercy over my life and the choices that caused me to do such things that you despised. May my eyes and heart stay ever focused on your Word and your way. In Jesus name, Amen.

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