Well "Anything Can Happen Thursday" is definitely living up to it's name today. We've had an "anything can happen" sort of week at our house and this means we get to have a "Testament Thursday" instead of Tuesday! Enjoy!
"Her beauty stirred the passion of a king. Her pain moved the heart of God." - Francine Rivers
Bathsheba's story is initially one of adultery and sin but later moves to one of healing and hope. Her beauty caught King David's attention and he was immediately taken with her. Although she was married to another man who was at war at the time, Bathsheba became pregnant by King David. The king hoped to trick Bathsheba's husband into thinking the child was his buy persuading him to sleep with his wife. But a soldier was not to lay with a woman while in battle, and so could not be convinced. King David then sent him to the frontlines where he would surely die. King David and Bathsheba then got married and God did many things in their lives. Bathsheba's story can be found in 2 Samuel 11.
Think about times when you have been tempted. How have you responded and what kind of pattern do you see?
Unfortunately, temptation is something we all face every day. We can be tempted by food, laziness, people, and everywhere in between. Laziness is a big temptation for me. I feel like I go to sleep every night convincing myself that I will be productive and useful the following day. Then I wake up, throw on some sweats, and watch half a season of Gilmore Girls. I'm not saying we all deserve a restful day every once in awhile, but my days can turn into weeks if I'm not careful.
Sometimes I acknowledge the temptation for what it is and move past it. Other times, I consciously give in to the temptation fully aware of the consequences. It takes a lot of self-awareness and will-power to not give in to our temptations, and it's something I'm constantly working on.
When you face your own sin, do you hide it, handle it, or confess it?
When I sin, I feel like Eve. I hide in the bushes and cover myself with leaves in the hopes that God won't see me. Then I slap myself (figuratively, of course) because God knew I was going to sin before I even knew what sin was. Sometimes it takes me being confronted by a fellow Christian before I own up to my mistake and confess it to God and seek His forgiveness.
What role do we have in helping one another be restored to God?
Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:1-2
I love these verses because there's so much to learn in just a few short sentences. We must be GENTLE and HUMBLE when we confront others about their sin. This requires love, not judgement. It's easy to fall prey to a sin we are trying to help someone out of. We must be careful and guard our hearts when we put ourselves in that environment. I think the last sentence can be taken two ways. 1) Your troubles are my troubles; when you hurt, I hurt. We need empathy and compassion to help one another get back on track. 2) We need to communicate with others what we are going through. By all means, take all of your problems to God. This should most definitely be your first stop on th road to healing. But God has a way of working through the people in our lives, and by sharing your life with someone else, you're opening the door.
I really love the story of Bathsheba because it shows us that even when we fall down into a huge pit that we've dug for ourselves, God will pull us out of it.
God Bless,
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