"And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick."
"And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him."
Maybe it seems like sin is a hard thing to talk about around Christmas time, but it really is the perfect time. Jesus was born into the world to deal with sin. It was His only purpose, so why not talk about it at the time of His arrival?
King David is often set on a high pedestal and viewed as one of God’s favorites, and to us, he is remarkably attractive. Perhaps what makes him so favorable to us is the fact that he is known for his mistakes. His story shows us that God doesn’t give up on us, even when it looks like He should. But David is also a perfect example for repentance and ultimate submission to our Creator, when confronted with our sin.
The affair that David had with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, resulted in her pregnancy, and a child was born from a sinful relationship. God could not allow that to continue without consequence, so he told David that the child would die. David pleaded for the life of the child, but just as God had said, the child died. However, the story now moves from death to life. David and Bathsheba were now married, and she soon was carrying another child. This child, born into an honest relationship, was allowed to live, and God created a great king out of the child born to David and Bathsheba, named Solomon.
In our lives, we must lay down our sin before God, and let Him have His way with it, which will result in its death in our lives. But His promise for us will carry us into a new and flourishing life, so much better than we could ever hope for outside of His will. So in this Christmas season, let us surrender the things in our lives God wants dead, and let God work us into a new creation that will be mightily used by Him. Merry Christmas!
~ Anthony J. Parrotta
