The Battle Within Is the Battle Without
August 06, 2017
"In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem." (2 Samuel 11:1 ESV)
We live is a raw world where nations go to war to grab power and place and people commit adulterous sins which lead to even more devastating sins where lives are destroyed and ended. Some of those people have the hand of God upon them and they wrestle with their humanity on the battlefield and off.
I am not for war. I am for peace. However, the story is raw and real and about real and really raw people. David was the king and the leader. He was supposed to be somewhere else fighting another battle when he was in a position to fight the battle of his life - and lost. What if he had been where he was supposed to be?
He was not in his place and so he had to fight his battle within.
Whether it was right to go to war every spring just because it was spring is a matter for another discussion. The point is that he had a role and was not playing it and so, in the wrong place at the wrong time, his eyes fell upon Bathsheba and he wanted her.
He wanted her badly.
His lust was greater than his sense of duty, responsibility , and integrity. It was greater than his loyalty to a loyal friend. It was greater than his will power.
It was greater, in the moment, than his own strength and he did not cry out to God for strength.
That is because lust is a strange meeting place of need (or distorted perceived need based upon real need) and arrogant power than pivots the universe around our own egos.
He wanted it and he could have it ... so he took it.
David confused lust with love, self -satisfaction with self-giving, and self-entitlement with blessing upon his life.
David and we have placed our interests above all else in life. We have sought security, safety, wealth, and comfort at a terrible cost to ourselves and to others.
There will always be a battle unless we surrender to the enemy of our souls. Then, the battle will be over, but all will have lost.
Sometimes the bad choices begin when we choose to stay home and not be where we are supposed to be. Sometimes the safest and best place to be is in the line of fire and criticism for the sake of peace and rightesousness.
Choices can have devastating consequences. Two people died because of David's choice. Bathsheba was wounded in her heart. David was scarred for life. ....
But afterwards ...
Steadfast love and faithfulness met and righteousness and peace kissed each other.
That is the message of hope and that message still resounds.
Prompted by ... 72 years of shame, horror, fear, & disconnected living in a world on the brink. Weeping is our wisest word.
"So Don't tell me hate is ever right or God's will
These are the wheels we put in motion ourselves
And the whole world weeps and is weeping still
Though shaken I still believe
the best of what we all can be
And the only peace this world will know
Can only come from love."
"God is love!"