Then David Got Up From The Ground... PART 2

The story of David and Bathsheba doesn't end with a fall. The story ends with the resurrection of the fallen. 

As David finally confesses his sins, he is met by God's forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean a lack of consequences though. Forgiveness means that David doesn't die right then. Forgiveness means that he is welcomed back to continue his journey of serving the Lord. 

As part of the just consequence that David receives, his new baby will get sick and die. David reacts to this the way that I do. He started out saying that he was so sorry and felt so bad... but when God gives him punishment, David tries not to accept it... and pleads with the Lord to take it away. David ends up fasting on the floor, begging and pleading for the child to live. Here comes another awesome development...

The servants are so disturbed by seeing their king acting crazy on the ground that they are afraid to tell him that the baby has died. They think, 'if he acted like this while the child was living, what will he do when he finds out it is dead?!?!?!' What will he do? He will respond in a way that is an example to christians throughout the ages. When David learned of the child's death it says:

 "David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate." 

Recap:

1. David stood up
2. David got clean
3. David worshiped the Lord
4. David continued living the life that he was intended to live
   

I feel like there is a period of limbo that our culture inflicts on us where we are "forgiven" but still shamed. Where we are pressured to NOT serve the Lord in the way that we are called, but instead sit in the corner obsessing over our sin. This is what the world tells us... this is the guilt that the enemy tries to drag us down with... and it is not right.

David shows us what life is like with an intimate understanding of what God wants from us. His actions, his words, his confessions, all speak of God's character and desire for intimacy. God calls us to get up from the ground and to not remain with the sin that He has forgiven. He desires us to be His servants and be in fellowship with Him... not to be His prisoners, separated from Him in exile. 1John1:9 tells us: "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 

Stand up and be cleansed. Do not carry the guilt and shame of your sins with you. Practice discipline and strengthen yourself in the ways that the Lord calls you to be strong. Serve no other gods (computer, phone, girl, boy, money). Serve God in every way you can. Go where He calls you and NEVER be ruled by fear or sin.

Be loved and forgiven.