Have you ever wondered if you could truly be forgiven by God, our Father? Is
your past haunting you? Are the faces of those you hurt in the past etched
forever on your memory? Does it seem that nothing you do ever seems good enough,
and that you really deserve the blame from others?
Let me share with you the story of a man who was headed for greatness. A man who
became king of Israel, but whose life was changed from glory to devastation,
blame and haunting memories by a single moment, a single action. Meet King
David.
One evening, while contemplating his latest success, his attention was riveted
on a woman unlike any other. Although he should have quickly looked the other
way, his focus was on that married woman. One thing led to another, and soon
that woman was pregnant with David's child.
Trying to save face, King David tried to entice her husband, a soldier, back
home so that he would believe that the child was his. But the husband's heart
was fixed on upcoming battles, and he never came near his wife.
As a last resort King David sent this brave soldier to his death on the
battlefield. David ordered his commander to put this woman's husband in the
hottest part of the battle, and then to retreat, leaving him all alone.
David then proceeded to marry the woman, but it was truly a marriage of blood!
David thought he had fooled everyone. No one, he thought, would ever know. But
God knew, and when Nathan, the prophet, brought a similar case to David's
attention, King David blurted out: "As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did
this deserves to die!" (2 Sam 12:5 NIV) Without realizing it, David condemned
his very own actions!
Imagine his surprise when Nathan declared: "You are the man!" (2 Sam 12:7 NIV)
It was too late when he finally realized that he had "sinned against the Lord."
(2 Sam 12:13 NIV)
David was never the same after this incident. His bad example led his sons to
bad decisions, and one of them even tried to usurp his throne.
David was prone to feel that his actions could never, ever be forgiven. He
deceived a loyal soldier, misled his own people, and betrayed his Father in
heaven! He had truly sinned "against the Lord"!
Would we be willing to offer pardon to such a sinner? Wouldn't we urge him to
step down from office? After all, hadn't he betrayed the trust of his people?
This is where many of us can identify with the actions of King David. How could
God ever forgive us?
Still, God's Word surprises us when we read: "I have found David son of Jesse a
man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." (Acts 13:22
NIV)
But how is this possible? David was far from being righteous! He was an
adulterer, a murderer and a liar!
Yes he was, but despite his serious mistakes, his heart was for God. He knew
beyond doubt that although he was a complete failure, God had forgiven him. God
honors those who trust in Him! And if David was forgiven for his horrendous
actions, you can be forgiven as well! It all depends on whether or not you want
to believe in what God promised you: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1
John 1:9 NIV)
Shortly after this incident, David tearfully wrote Psalms 51.
"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 all 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." (Ps 51:7-12 NIV)
There is hope when we trust in the forgiveness of the Almighty!
While we toured in the southern part of Iceland, we encountered a German
memorial in the little town of Vik. The elements that day were wild. It was
raining hard, and the wind was steadily picking up speed. Despite the wet
conditions, however, I was fascinated by this memorial. It had been erected not
only to commemorate the German fishing boat that had been wrecked in the
vicinity, but also to thank the many Icelanders who risked their lives to rescue
many of their crewmembers.
These Icelanders had been willing to leave the safety of their homes to rescue
those who once were considered the enemy of the world (WWII), and though the
storm was far worse than the one we were experiencing, they came to the aid of
those facing certain death.
This is love, true love! "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down
his life for his friends." (John 15:13 NIV)
If Icelanders can forgive their former enemies and come to their rescue, even
more so would God be willing to forgive us, hardened criminals, and come to our
rescue.
And God just did that! Jesus left the safe confines of heaven to face the rough
elements of this earth, in order to save us from our sins. He took what we
deserved and went to the cross, dying in our place, to give us the promise
through his resurrection
that we, too, could be
victorious. He clearly demonstrated how much God loves us, as well as how
willing God is to forgive all of our iniquities, no matter how horrendous they
may be. If David was forgiven, we can be forgiven too. It's all a matter of
trust!
These German sailors were sure glad to see the Icelanders who came to their
rescue. How will we react towards the forgiveness our Heavenly Father is
offering us?
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.