Scripture
1In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 2Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 2 Samuel 11:1-2
Observation
The first day of the year in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in March or April. King David started out the new year in a kingdom shaking sin because he was trying to skip a season. This was the season for fighting, “when kings normally go out to war.” He should have been leading the troops alongside the commander Joab and Uriah the Hittite against the Ammonites. In fact, 2 Samuel 12:26-31 reveals that this was indeed the expectation. There was a season for rest and this was not it. Instead of fighting the right enemy on the right battlefield, King David fell to the enemy of lust, adultery, lying, manipulation, and murder right in his own home. Though God removed his sin after his repentance He did not remove the consequences of his sin which would be felt for generations. Many rush ahead to the sin with Bathsheba and completely miss David’s first sin in this story. His first sin was skipping the season, opting out of his assignment, and abdicating his authority. James 4:17 puts it this way, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” Therefore, to skip the season we are in is a sin and may set up for even more sin as in the life of David. To embrace the season we are in is to ensure we don’t miss the gift we will never get again. You can hear the mourning in the Savior’s voice as He looks out over Jerusalem knowing they had missed the season of their salvation that was standing right in front of them, 37“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. 38And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate.” (Matthew 23:37-38) I don’t want to fight against the very One I’ve been waiting for simply because I’m looking to the next season instead of living in this one.
Application
How many of you are so ready for quarantine season to be over? Yep. Same here. I’m tired of wearing masks, and not being able to hug people goodbye. I know I’m whining here but I’m tired of waiting in long lines to get inside the store and then long lines once inside the store to get through the store. I would love to be able to sit on the beaches here in Hawaii before we leave for San Diego but I’m not sure if that’s going to happen. There are so many things about this season that I’m ready to skip past. Then, Cyndi said something that stopped me in my tracks like today’s scriptures. She said, “Many of us may look back on this season and actually miss it.” We talked about all this time we’ve had with our family, dinners around the table (before we shipped it), game nights, neighborhood walks, long uninterrupted conversations with family and friends over Zoom, or FaceTime and so much more. I realized I had been so focused on running into the next season that I had soured on this one. Does the country need to open back up soon? Absolutely! Am I ever going to get a season like this with my family again? Nope. Elijah is heading off to Bible College in the Fall so we won’t be seeing much of him. Aden will be in his senior year and then he will launch into a whole new season. In 9 days we won’t even be in the same state. Am I excited about getting to San Diego and seeing what God is going to do there? Very much so. Yet, if I skip the lessons in this season I won’t be ready for the battles in the next one. For me it’s the reverse of David. David was supposed to be in a season of war and instead chose a season of rest. I’m supposed to be in a season of rest after my run with New Hope Oahu and yet I want to run into the next one with The Fathers House. I feel the Lord asking me to slow down and soak in the final moments of this season because I won’t ever have them again. This season of preparation will set me up for productivity in the next one.
Prayer
Lord, I hear you saying what you said to Jerusalem, “how often I wanted to be with you but you wouldn’t come close.” I’m coming close. Forgive me for the sin of trying to skip this season in favor of the next one. I’m taking a deep breath and soaking in the warm Hawaiian sun as the Trade Winds blow upon my skin. I don’t want to look back on this season with regret that I missed it or that I missed You.
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