Trouble
Scripture Reading — Romans 8:26-39
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him …
Romans 8:28
Little mistakes can lead to big trouble.
David had actually been in trouble for most of his life: fighting off lions and bears as a shepherd; facing Goliath; pursued by King Saul and then by the Philistines (see 1 Samuel 17 — 2 Samuel 10). There are two kinds of trouble a person can face. Sometimes trouble comes from following God, as we learn from Matthew 5:10-12 and 1 Peter 2:11-12—and that is a good kind of trouble. It comes from standing against what is wrong. But we can also get into trouble by heading away from God, by doing what is wrong. That’s bad trouble, and that’s what David got into with Bathsheba.
David could have avoided this trouble. He could have been more responsible and led his troops out to secure Israel’s borders. And even if seeing Bathsheba bathing was a mistake, he could have turned away from the temptation to find out about her.
David was asking for trouble, and he found it. So he went down, toppling like Goliath had fallen so many years before.
It’s amazing, though, that God can work even through our bad trouble to accomplish some good. Recovering addicts will often tell how they needed to hit bottom before they would look up to God. This would happen again eventually in David’s life too.
God, thank you for lifting us up when we have fallen, and for showing us how much we need you. Amen.
About the author — Ron Vanderwell
Ron Vanderwell recently became the senior pastor of New Life Church in New Lenox, Illinois. He has been a pastor for 22 years, serving as a church planter for the previous 12 years at The Gathering in Sacramento, California, and before that as a pastor in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Ron and his wife, Deb, have three sons: John, Adam, and Jake.
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