Learning to Worship After Discipline
When God calls someone a man or woman after His own heart, it would pay to study that person’s life. This morning, I was reading 2 Samuel 12 where the child that Bathsheba had with David was just born. You may remember that Nathan visited David with the tale of a man who owned a flock of sheep killing the only lamb of his neighbor. David was outraged at the injustice of the story and declared, “The man who has done this shall surely die.” Nathan then said to David, “You are the man!” Whereas most people would have justified their actions, explained that it wasn’t as bad as it seemed, or given some other equally unacceptable reply, David simply said, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
As his baby became sick, he fasted and prayed, begging God for mercy. Seven days this went on until he finally received word that the child was dead. What happened next is what jumped out at me this morning. Second Samuel 12:20 says, “Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshiped: THEN he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.”
After a week of fasting, the refrigerator would be the first place I’d stop but David went to the house of the Lord and worshiped. No questioning, no anger. He accepted the discipline the Lord laid on him and he worshiped God. How happy that must have made the Lord. If you’re like me, the first thing you do after being chastised by God probably isn’t to worship Him but that would be a neat habit to acquire. Lord, give me a heart to worship You in good times and in bad, when I feel Your love and when I receive Your discipline.
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