Devotion
Two wrongs don’t make a right
David Jacobs
It is quite common for men and women in positions of power to commit adultery. The sanctity of marriage does not seem as important today as it once did, and many people view divorce as almost an inevitability. The collapse of the family structure and lack of good relationship examples can help explain the modern issues with marriage and divorce. How can we make sense of David's actions in these verses?
The Ten Commandments specifically prohibit coveting, committing adultery, and committing murder (Exodus 20). The King of Israel manages to commit all of these sins in these verses. Seeing the beautiful Bathsheba, King David abuses his power and sleeps with her. She gets pregnant, and David tries to get her husband, Uriah, to sleep with her so that he will not think about the pregnancy, but Uriah does not do it. In an attempt to correct two sins with an even bigger sin, David orders Uriah, a loyal and competent soldier, to be placed in the area where fighting will be heaviest in the next battle. Uriah dies and David takes Bathsheba, now widowed, to be his wife.
"Two wrongs don't make a right." David has more than two wrongs, but the more wrongs you add, the less right the result. In an attempt to correct his mistakes, David sins, making his wife less happy, himself less happy, and giving Uriah no option at all. We can learn from David's mistakes, realizing that all of the sins are prohibited in the Ten Commandments for a reason: committing these sins will hurt us and hurt others.
Prayer
Abba Father, grant me the wisdom to discern what is good and what is not. Lead me away from temptation, for I know that like Adam and Eve, doing what you have prohibited will hurt me and hurt you. I pray that you grant a sense of peace to relationships that may need mending, hoping that more love can be shared instead of sin. Amen.
Night Prayer
Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
Inspiration
We humble ourselves before the Lord when we come to Him with earthly burdens. We understand we do not have the power to control or fix our problems alone, so we lay our egos down and align our lives with the will of God. We are proud to be His servants and accept His help throughout our struggles. His love is unconditional, and His wisdom parallels none other.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we humble ourselves before You, seeking Your wisdom and guidance all the days of our lives. Thank You for Your presence and unfailing love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
You are a Temple of The Holy Spirit
Frances Taylor
This is a hard saying in today's world. Sexual immorality is so rampant and public that few people believe it to be immoral! People no longer think of sexual behavior outside of marriage as wrong and, in fact, have no problem with going from one person to another quite publicly, broadcasting their behavior on social media and if you're famous enough, on twitter, on TV, in magazines, etc. What happened to "Thou shalt not commit adultery?" I guess I'm old fashioned. I'm not about to condemn anyone who truly loves another and is faithful to them regardless of marriage, but I don't understand and cannot condone random sexual encounters that are not based on love but lust, have no desire for permanency but are literally just to satisfy a sexual itch.
Sorry if I offend anyone, but if we believe that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit to be kept holy, how can we treat them as what – toys, prizes? I'm aware that women have often ...
Morning Prayer
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Inspiration
Think of a grudge that you held on for a long time. Did you feel better from holding this grudge? Now think about this deeper: what if God held a grudge against us? Wow, how blessed we are that he forgives our sins! He leads by example, forgiving those of us that do exactly what he asks us not to do. We all should all be more forgiving, like God is to us.
Prayer
You sent your only son to the world to die so that we may be forgiven, merciful God. Forgive me, once again, for being too selfish and proud to not forgive those that trespass against me. I wish that I can sin less and ask for forgiveness and guidance when I need it. I thank you for sending your son to us, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
