We arrived at church a tad bit late this morning because I was slow getting up. A late night watching movies on Netflix being the culprit. When we finally walked into the sanctuary, the praise team was finishing their final song before Pastor Dan started his sermon. The room was dimly lit and you could see hands raised in praise and voices singing along. We found some seats in the very back, the only ones left because it was packed this morning. Normally I like to sit in the front because I get distracted by the backs of peoples heads. As Dan took to the pulpit it became clear that today’s message was of a very serious nature.

We’re in the book of 2^nd Samuel which covers the life of King David, in particular, the fallout of his sin with Bathsheba and the drama with his children Amnon, Absalom and Tamar. I strongly suggest you read it. Because  of the paths chosen in David’s life as well as his children, things turn to ruin. A once powerful and wise king reaps the harvest from the seeds of destruction he planted chapters earlier. He and his family are brought to ruin. This ultimately leads to a war that divides an entire kingdom. Some parts are very tough to get through, it isn’t a happy tale, but it’s a necessary one. It’s a precautionary tale, one that teaches the lessons of reaping and sowing and taking heed to listening to God in making our way through life.

Many of you reading this can attest to times in our lives where we have chosen paths that have set us on disastrous courses. Those times can be difficult to get through, but it is important to remember that God doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle and that the pain and suffering we endure because of bad decisions is really an opportunity to see the folly of our ways, repent, and lead lives worthy of being heirs to the kingdom. Just like a parent must punish a child, we must be punished for living outside the will of God. Make no mistake that with true repentance, you will be forgiven, just as David was. However, you still must live with the consequences of your actions.

Pastor Dan had pointed out that some of the people in the congregation, in particular the ones who were older, had already gone through it. Decisions that they had made years ago had grown fruit and now they were dealing with it. In their lives and the lives of their children and loved ones, friends and family. Others may find themselves at the beginning of such a time. It was a very eye opening sermon and made me think about some of the things I’ve done in my life and the consequences of my actions. Some were good, some were bad, but ultimately the thing I got from the message wasn’t that God is out to get me for my sins or something equally as uncomfortable, but I had the sense of cleansing because it forced me to put my life into the light of God’s eternal truth. The only way we can truly deal with anything in our lives is to turn unflinchingly inward, and expose ourselves to the truth. That truth as Christians is God’s word and what it says about how we are to live our lives. It was a call to repentance and healing in a deep and meaningful way. It was one of those messages were it seemed that you were the only one in the room and the preacher was looking right at you.

It was an intense sermon but by the time we left I had really appreciated that I heard it. It made me think about the past, but it also made me think about the future and how going forward making sure to choose the right paths in my life. The Godly paths. I was also grateful for the things I do have in my life, and the things I don’t, because it could always be worse. Lastly I came away with a better appreciation for the life given at the cross. The shouldering of my sins, our bad choices, all on Him. How thankful we must be as believers that God loved us enough to sacrifice His only Son for our iniquities. It made me think, it made me humble and it made me grateful for the life I do have because of Him.