A Rebuke and a Repentance: David
Read: 2 Samuel 12:13; John 3:23-38
Have you ever had to admit to doing something awful? That unpleasant feeling you get before you confess something is actually a gift from God—He helps us recognize our sins through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit convicts us of sin and nudges us toward confession, repentance and better behavior.
And sometimes the Holy Spirit works in a sort of partnership with a person. This is what happened during King David’s reign. Nathan, a prophet of Israel, bravely challenged the king for abusing his authority.
As King David heard Nathan’s rebuke, David recognized the sin of what he’d done. And he repented. When David confessed, though he still had to suffer the consequences, God’s grace was present.
Over time, the Lord guided and mended David’s heart, helping him to better serve God. David and his wife Bathsheba eventually had a son named Nathan—the same name as the prophet who called out David’s sin and helped bring him to repentance.
This boy, Nathan, may have been a continual reminder to David of God’s grace and faithfulness. God wants us to remember that, too, because He included Nathan in Jesus’ family line. We can see God’s grace everywhere—even in a name buried in a rarely-read list of other names—including the clearest sign of God’s grace: Jesus. He became human to show us how to live and to save us from our sin.
Reflect
Conviction isn’t meant to heap shame or punishment—Christ has paid the full penalty for your sins. Conviction is what helps you recognize that you did something wrong, and it leads to repentance. How should you respond when the Holy Spirit convicts your heart?
Pray about It
Thank God for the gift of conviction—of understanding when you sin against God and providing a way to return to Him through forgiveness.