Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

12 May 2024

Reading From II Samuel 11-12, I Chronicles 20

“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.”

–II Samuel 11:26-27

     King David was “a man after God’s own heart” and yet he committed adultery, tried to cover it up and then when his scheme failed, had an innocent man murdered.  Good people, even otherwise godly people, can make horrific mistakes.  God forgave David but that does not mean that he did not have to deal with the consequences of his mistakes.  It is important to remember that while God does love all of us, not everything we do pleases Him. 

     Many have this strange way of thinking that if you love someone, it means you accept everything about them as being totally wonderful.  How foolish!  God loves us more deeply than anyone in the universe, but that doesn’t mean He loves everything we do.  Conversely, if we hold someone in high regard but they fail at something miserably, we should not disregard the good they’ve done in other areas. 

     The Golden Rule that Jesus taught us needs to come back to the forefront of our lives.  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  I don’t want to be canceled, so I should not set myself up as judge over others.  Should King David be canceled?  No.  Was everything he did right?  No.  Did he make disastrous mistakes?  Yes, so let’s celebrate the good, learn from the bad, and move forward, striving to be better rather than bitter.

     If we are sons and daughters of the Most High God, our desire ought to be to please Him in every way.  When we do something displeasing to Him, which is inevitable given our human nature, it is vital to our continuation in the faith to confess our sin, be grateful for His forgiveness, and ask Him for the strength we need to resist temptation in the future. 

     He is always eager to bless His children with the wisdom and power we need to learn and grow from our mistakes.  The conviction of the Holy Spirit is not only godly sorrow after the fact, it is also preventive.  Staying true to our convictions prevents us from stumbling into one of the enemy’s traps.  Study, worship, prayer, trustworthy accountability, and generally putting God’s Word into practice are excellent ways of staying on track.  Cultivating a healthy relationship with the Lord strengthens our resolve to lead lives that honor Him.  What we feed will grow, what we starve will die.  Be intentional about weaving good habits into daily life and reducing distractions. 

“Lord Jesus, thank You for Your goodness and mercy to me and the rest of Your children.  I pray that we will extend the grace we receive from You to other human beings.  I don’t deserve Your love, and yet You freely give it.  Thank You God for who You are and all that You do.  I ask for greater understanding, grace and mercy among my brothers and sisters in the faith.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.

–John 10:27-30

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because ofyour evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

 –Colossians 1:21-23

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 

–I John 1:8-9

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

–Matthew 7:1-2

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 –Galatians 2:20