Day 12

When we come to God in repentance like David did, God in His grace forgives.

‘A man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.’ (Proverbs 6:32)

Solomon speaks unequivocally about the destructive consequences of adultery. That may be surprising when we know that Solomon himself was born as the result of adultery! His father, David looked out from his roof at a woman bathing. He sent for her (Bathsheba), seduced her, slept with her, and then sent her home. She became pregnant only to lose the child, but then David arranged that her husband should go to the front line of battle and be killed, so that he might marry Bathsheba. She conceived again and Solomon was born. That might have made him more sympathetic to benefits that may accrue fromadultery – but no!

There is a moral law that says, ‘A man reaps what he sows’ (Galatians 6:7). It is wonderfully true that we can be forgiven of all sin, as David expressed so fully in Psalm 51 concerning his adultery with Bathsheba, but the grace of God does not override the government of God. Solomon knew his father and wrote with understanding, ‘a man who commits adultery…destroys himself’ (Proverbs 6:32). David confessed and was forgiven but like Jacob, he walked with a limp that needed the constant appropriation of the grace of God. The redeeming feature is that his weakness made him so fully dependent on God.

Lord, thank You for Your forgiveness in my life.