Daily Thought

The aspect of prayer we look at today is set against the background of David’s most tragic sin. David’s confession reveals his contrition, ‘I have sinned against the Lord’. Psalm 51 shows his deep sense of shame. The Lord assures him that the child will die. Such was the tragedy of sin in the life of a king. But the Lord through Nathan assures him of forgiveness, ‘The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die’. But even when God forgives, we know that sin will often take its natural course. Yet God is merciful.

David does not give up fasting and praying. He is brought very low but does not give up hope. Then the child dies. The servants hesitate to tell him, for David’s reactions seem to contradict reason. He immediately takes control and eats and begins to hold the reins again. It is a strange way to respond for he washes, anoints himself and goes in to worship his God.

There are some helpful thoughts for us today. Prayer must be hindered where there is no repentance for sin. Every Christian knows what failure means. Unconfessed sin will spoil communion with God. Yet confession of sin brings forgiveness and cleansing, 1John 1. 9.In the seeming contradictions of David’s behaviour we see that in prayer he clings to the hope of God’s mercy, ‘Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me?’. To the person who prays there must always be this hope, that God’s mercy is greater than all our sin. Refusal proves the governmental dealings of God with His servant. He does not act in grace at the expense of His righteousness. This tells us how necessary it is for us to ‘walk in the light, as he is in the light’, 1 John 1. 7.

There is a happy sequel to the incident. David comforted Bathsheba after the baby’s death. The Lord gave him another son in whom His promises were fulfilled. Solomon was born and the Lord loved him. What a lovely touch to the story. David knew restoration after his fall, and joy followed. God makes every provision that we do not sin. But ‘if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous’, 1 John 2. 1, 2.

Thought: - ‘God who is rich in mercy’, Eph. 2. 4.