Forgiven and Free!

We've all heard the saying, "We don't get along, I think we are too much alike." There is most likely someone in your life who fits this description. When we are controlling, we don't work well with another who has this same issue. Those who are shy and quiet find it difficult to communicate with others who are the same. In both cases, once you identify the problem, it becomes easier to navigate through a relationship of this nature.

The prophet Nathan has to confront his King about a royal character flaw. He approached it by telling a parable, much like Jesus would do. When attempting to point out a sinful action of King David, Nathan told it in hypothetical story form.

2 Samuel 12:1 (NIV)
The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.  The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.  "Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."

If you are an animal lover as I am, you are probably a little steamed right now, right? Well, so was the King and he wanted that rich man to pay 4 times over.

2 Samuel 12:5 (NIV)
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "...He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity." 

Then Nathan dropped the bombshell.

2 Samuel 12:7 (NIV)
Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man!..." 

Nathan has David's attention.  David recognized his sin and he repented immediately. There are a couple of lessons here, but the most glaring one I see is that I need to repent right away. Don't stew, don't justify, don't pretend it is okay because everyone else is doing it.  No, I must turn away from sin and confess.  Forgiveness is immediate and I am free!  That is the only way to live.

  


2 Samuel 12:1-7