Summer vacation was not all fun and games for me when I was growing up.  My dad gave us assignments like book reports on a topic from the encyclopedia and dropped us off at the library for hours.

We groaned, but giving us work to do likely kept us out of trouble during those long summer days.

David was God’s chosen king who proved to have an intimate relationship with Him as noted through his songs in the book of Psalms. We remember David as a young shepherd boy, an unlikely choice for a king. Yet, he was chosen by God and anointed by the prophet Samuel.  

While in those fields caring after the sheep, David learned to trust in his heavenly Father and in His faithfulness.

So, it’s surprising to see how a man so close to God could fall so hard.  While robed in royalty and having favor with God, he gave into temptation, and it’s a reminder of how human David was.  

David committed with Bathsheba, a woman married to Uriah, a Hittite.   When the prophet Nathan came to David to confront him with the words, “You are the man!”, he started off by telling him a simple story that portrayed David as a rich man and Uriah as a poor one.  Uriah was most defintely the victim in the adulterous relationship between the king and his wife.  His character should be commended.

Uriah was off at war during the springtime at a time when David should have been, too.  Uriah was fulfilling his duty appropriately. When he comes home on break, he refuses to lie wtih his wife although it was suggested by David in an effort to hide the sin that was committed.  Uriah refused because he knew the ark and his fellow comrades were out in the open field.

Uriah is sent back to the fields with a letter written by David, one that held his fate.  Just as the letter commanded, Uriah was put on the front line of attack and died. It was a ploy by the king to get a faithful man out of the picture so that a secret could be concealed.

But, as we know, there are no secrets with God, as Nathan reminded David.

David eventually acknowledges his sin, and must pay the consequences for it. Could his sin been avoided had he been faithful to his job?

We have been given a charge to remain responsible to our job and serve God faithfully through it.  May we never be deceived into thinking we won’t fall as David did, but keep in constant communion with our Father so that we are closing the door to temptations of the enemy.

~Betsy