King David and God - And Us Too! Part II

David and Remorse

While God enjoyed David’s passion, it often created in David momentary blindness, blurring the lines between love and lust.  We recall the sad story of Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba who David had killed so that he could be with her.

But when David saw the light and grasped the harm he had done, he immediately became remorseful and begged the Lord, who gave him everything in life, to give him the mercy and forgiveness he needed.

When David learned later that the child from his union with Bathsheba would die, he didn’t think to save himself.  Instead he pleaded for the child’s life, “… keeping a fast, retiring for the night to lie on the ground clothed in sackcloth… the elders urged him to rise from the ground, but he would not, nor would he take food.”

In his remorse David knew, though weak, that the Lord saw the depth of his yearning to love Him.  David knew his own weakness and wanted the Lord to provide what he lacked.  The Lord appreciated David’s insight, and He poured His love and mercy upon David, forgiving him, and giving him a new son, Solomon, his wise and compassionate heir.

Sirach writes: “The Lord forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever; he conferred on him the rights of royalty and established his throne in Israel.”

 David’s Lesson for us today.

David’s life is a lesson for all disciples who, as St. Paul confesses: “I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”

Paul shared David’s remorse.  In fact, we all do.  If Jesus doesn’t fill us with His generous gift of grace, we are all powerless to take even the next step of our journey.

God sees David as a good example for us.  When we stumble like David or Paul, let’s run towards God into His warm embrace.  This will lift us up and place us once more on the forward path towards God.

Since David never hesitated to seek God’s warm embrace, could this be what cemented the bond between David and His God?  They understood who each was for the other, and this understanding forged their lasting bond.  And this same compassionate relationship, God still offers each of us – and it can begin today.