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David - Cover Up or Uncovered
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There's a price to being a man or woman of God. When we determine to be all that God wants us to be, we must understand that there's no cover up with Him. No sweeping our sins under the carpet. No hiding skeletons in the closet. His character is not only that of absolute purity, but also of total knowledge. He knows. He loves. And He disciplines those whom He knows and loves.
There have been Christian leaders who have thought that they could cover up their sins with their charisma or dynamic personalities. Some have thought that if they just did a good job, then surely no one would ever be suspicious of the impurities in their lives. But it never works that way. God has a way of exposing and dealing with sin in the lives of His people.
He doesn't discipline us because He no longer loves us. It's just the opposite. His discipline is because of His great love for us. He's much more concerned about our character than our ministry, and often He will sacrifice our ministry in order to build our character. The Bible says, "the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son" (Heb. 12:6 NIV).
David thought he could cover up his sins of deception, adultery, and murder. But God in His goodness would not permit it. After David had been told of what had happened with Uriah, Bath Sheba's husband, he attempted to act as a comforting leader. He sent a message of comfort to the military leaders on the field. It was a perfect attempt at cover up. There were several indicators that David had not yet repented.
First, there was no acknowledgement of his sin. Second, there was no grief in his soul over the horror of taking the life of one of his trusted soldiers. Finally, he took Uriah's wife as his own wife as soon as her grieving period was concluded. Shamelessness. Deception. Lies. Cover up. All were harbored in the secret crevasses of David's heart.
David thought he was "getting away with murder." But, that's impossible with God. The Scriptures say, "After the time of mourning was over, David had her [Bath Sheba] brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD" (2 Sam. 11:27 NIV). David may have been able to fool men, but he would never be able to dupe God.
God knew what David had done, and it displeased Him. God loved David so much that He wouldn't allow such horrendous sin to remain a part of his moral fiber. David would have to be confronted with his sin. Until he came to grips with the evil tucked away in his heart, he would never again be able to be described as "a man after God's own heart."
Truth, honesty, and purity. Those were the character qualities that God desired to build into David. Lies, deception and spiritual pollution couldn't remain in David's heart if he was going to be God's man. The flesh had to be rooted out and replaced by the fruit of the Spirit.
If you want to be a man or woman of God, then you must be willing for God to expose anything that's not pleasing to Him. He is light, and darkness is always exposed and shattered by light. Live in the Light. Embrace the Light. It's good for you!
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