September 17 – 2 Samuel 11:6-13

September 17 – 2 Samuel 11:6-13

[6] So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. [7] When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. [8] Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. [9] But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. [10] When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” [11] Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” [12] Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. [13] And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

David so desperately wanted to hide his sin. The whole concept of hiding our sin is deceptive. God sees and hears everything. It is impossible to hide our sin. We may trick ourselves into believing no one knows but God…..strong and mighty, know all about our sin. Our unconfessed sin hinders our fellowship with God and others and is a barrier to spiritual life and power.

Uriah was a man of integrity. He did not go to his wife and seek her pleasure as he had men at war that were not in the greatest of environments. He could not, with clear conscience, seek pleasure when his men were out in the battle field, putting their lives at risk. David’s deceptive ways were not going to work on Uriah.

I am sure it took great restraint for Uriah not to go home to his lovely wife. I admire such behavior. I find the need to check myself for sin from which I have not repented. Have you been faithful to ask forgiveness for your sins as well?