Author: Tim Challies

This sponsored post was provided by Burke Care, and written by Cameron Woodall , which invites you to schedule care today with a certified biblical counselor. “But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.” – 2 Samuel 11:27b  This verse comes after one of the most famous stories in the Bible. King David abuses his authority and privilege by bringing a married woman, Bathsheba, in his palace with the intention of committing adultery. Then, after learning she is pregnant, he orchestrates the murder of her husband to cover his sins. Once Bathsheba mourns the death of her husband, she is brought into David’s house to become his new wife. This, collectively, is the “thing” that displeased the Lord; indeed, it was pure evil (Psalm 51:4). And based on God’s justifiable displeasure, the verdict we would expect from His judgement seat might sound like, “The Lord sent ruin to David.”  But something unexpected follows… “The Lord sent Nathan to David.” – 2 Samuel 12:1a Unless we linger, it is easy to overlook the profound grace that is in this sentence. God sent an advocate, the prophet Nathan, to reveal something in David’s heart he could not see himself; he was no longer chasing the Lord, he was chasing idols. Nathan uses a clever story to function as a mirror, reflecting the sin in David’s heart in a way David could not see prior. But God’s goal here was restorative, and in six Hebrew words, the heart of a heavenly Father is put on display. It truly was God’s exposing…See AlsoHow We Worshipped One Sunday in May31 Days of Purity: The Joy of the LordWho Incited David?