“It’s Only Natural”

 ^“When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.  After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.” 2 Samuel 11:26-27

Good morning my friends!

Over the past few days, I have been reacquainting myself with the history of the decades of my life through the viewing of several series produced a few years ago. One very noticeable connect is that, without exception, while each decade saw remarkable scientific achievement, each was also marked with violence, disease, tragedy, warfare, moral decline, and scandal. Human nature? Indeed! It’s called sin nature. For example, in the late 1960’s and throughout the 1970’s, this nation saw the rise of what was to be called the “sexual revolution.” “Free love” was prevalent, and along with it came the rise of sexually transmitted disease, or “STD’S”. Naturally, people wanted to be free to do whatever they wanted to do without consequence.

Such an attitude is nothing new. It’s as old as the infamous “Garden of Eden” incident. Interestingly, while not necessarily completely rejecting the notion of the existence of a merciful God, people expected such a God to cow-tow to their every whim and to supply mercy without accompanying consequence. People question: “If God is a merciful God, then why is there sickness and disease in the world?” The expectation is that God exists to serve rather than to be served.  In the passage referenced today, King David, one of the most revered figures in all of scripture, has committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his loyal military men. In order to cover his indiscretion, David orders his general to have Uriah placed in the front line of an upcoming battle, where he will likely be killed. David plan succeeds, but scripture reminds us that “the thing David had done displeased the Lord.”  Consequences followed.

Theologian R.C. Sproul said this:

“We want to be saved from our misery, but not from our sin. We want to sin without misery… Sin always accompanies misery. There is no victimless crime, and all creation is subject to decay because of humanity’s rebellion from God.”  

Day after day…year after year…decade after decade…century after century…since the beginning of time, this reality has been revealed. Misery always accompanies sin. It is not misery from which we need to be delivered…it is sin…our natural state of being since the Fall. Thankfully, God Himself has provided the antidote through the gift of His own sinless Son and His ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. When Jesus taught us how to pray, he taught us to pray “Deliver us from evil”, not “deliver us from misery.” Misery is the consequence of the evil Jesus’ adjured us to pray to be delivered from …violence, unrest, sickness, pain, moral decline. Grace is the gift…eternal life! Which do you choose? Let’s pray!

Holy, Merciful God: In your great love, we find that for which we long from birth…abundant life, forgiveness, and restoration. Teach us to focus our heart’s desire on You rather than on ourselves. Only then shall we find that peace we so desire. This we pray in Jesus’ great Name. Amen