The High Cost of My Sin in Others

Scripture: Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father's house.” 2 Samuel 24:17

Observation: David conducts a census, counting his troops. One verse says God motivated him to do it; another says Satan did. Somehow, God allowed Satan to move David to conduct this census. And for some reason it was sin—maybe it was pride, or maybe reliance upon his forces and not God. But whatever the sin, David knew it and asked God for forgiveness. God tells him there will be a consequence to his sin where many people will die. David pleads with God that since it was his sin, not the sins of the innocent sheep, he should die. But God visits the consequence upon 70,000 men.

Application: What must it be like to know your sin caused the death of 70,000 men? And to know that despite your best efforts, you cannot fix things. You cannot pay for them. Sometimes, even with forgiveness, there are costs that cannot be prevented. That is sobering and a spur for me to live upright before God, lest my sins affect others I love. But it is also a reminder than I cannot control everything. David hoped that by offering his own life, he could control the consequences. He could not. One day, the situation would be reversed. A man would come from David’s own house, who had not sinned and had not done wickedly. For the sake of guilty sheep, he would find God’s hand against him.
I think God is reminding me that despite my best efforts, I sin. And my sin has consequences in people’s lives that I cannot fix. Ultimately, Jesus is the only healer and fixer of the terrible cost of my sin in other’s lives. While I need to live upright, and I need to offer to help—I must pray and trust Christ to redeem people from the effects of my life.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for your redeeming power. Forgive me my sin. Thank you for opening the door for me to see the high cost of it in others. Thank you that you are able to step in and heal what I cannot. Let me trust you more.

Far-Reaching Ripples

Scripture: And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 2 Samuel 18:33

Observation: Absalom, the rebellious son of David, has died. When a messenger brings the news to David, he is wracked with grief. Grief over his son’s death, and the now lost hope of reconciliation. I wonder also if part of the grief is his knowledge that he is partly responsible. The consequences of the sin with Bathsheba had farther reaching effects than he could have dreamed.

Application: One thing no one talks about is how far the ripples of our sin can reach. Sin that is forgiven can still have consequences in our life. Physical, emotional, financial consequences. Even as repentant and broken as David was when confronted by Nathan, this news of Absalom reopened the wound. Yes, God can forgive, but sometimes we have to live with what we have done. I wish I understood this better when I was younger, to see how decisions and sins and habits would reach out into today. This spurs me to look at my life now and see if there are any areas that will come back to me in the future.

Prayer: God, thank you for forgiving me and delivering me from the ultimate consequences of my sin. Thank you also for rescuing me often from the more immediate natural consequences. Help me to listen to your Holy Spirit to address issues in my life now, that they will not come back to haunt me.