David's Hope in God
When David sinned so terribly by having the affair with Bathsheba and having her husband Uriah killed in battle, there was also another complication. Bathsheba conceived a son. However, part of God's punishment for David's sin was that this son would die after birth. David had repented of his sins in this case, but the fact that the baby would die hit him very hard. He knew it was all his fault. The baby did not cause any of it. Therefore, David prayed and fasted day and night, until the baby died. Then, he arose and ate like normal. His servants wondered how he could do that when the baby still died. He explained that it was his hope in the Lord. (II Samuel 12:22,23) I want us to examine David's hope today, because we all need such hope.
First of all David had hope that the baby would live, because he knew the gracious nature of God. That is why he fasted and wept, praying all night for God to heal his son. David knew that the grace of God is so amazing that even when we sin as badly as David, God is still gracious and He could decide to move in our lives in a merciful way. However, when the baby died, David had a different hope. He felt sure that he could not convince God to send the baby back to him from the dead, but he still had hope. His hope was that he would go to be with his son in heaven and thus, see him again. David had a strong hope in the reality of heaven. Now, God's hope is the sure expectation of the future before it happens. God wants us all to have this sure hope of going to heaven. We have to trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, and then, He will fill us with this unshakable hope. I hope you have both types of hope in the Lord. They are such a blessing of God to us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Samuel 13-15.
First of all David had hope that the baby would live, because he knew the gracious nature of God. That is why he fasted and wept, praying all night for God to heal his son. David knew that the grace of God is so amazing that even when we sin as badly as David, God is still gracious and He could decide to move in our lives in a merciful way. However, when the baby died, David had a different hope. He felt sure that he could not convince God to send the baby back to him from the dead, but he still had hope. His hope was that he would go to be with his son in heaven and thus, see him again. David had a strong hope in the reality of heaven. Now, God's hope is the sure expectation of the future before it happens. God wants us all to have this sure hope of going to heaven. We have to trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, and then, He will fill us with this unshakable hope. I hope you have both types of hope in the Lord. They are such a blessing of God to us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Samuel 13-15.