I Love You, But You Need to Know...You're Just You

Churchgirl here. Ever get mad at God? Check this out.

There was this king once, a Hebrew man in ancient times. He grew up talking with God out in the hills while he shepherded his dad’s sheep, and once when he was a youth he even fought and killed a fearsome foe for God. He grew up and became king of Israel. The trouble with being king is, you really can do whatever you want and don’t have to do anything you don’t want. But even kings have to answer to God.

Yes, we’re talking about King David, a man who really existed and whose life is recorded in ancient scripture. Well, one day after he had become king, he saw a woman bathing on a rooftop, was overcome with lust for her, and thought since he was king he could do what he wanted. So he had her husband killed, and had his people send for her. When she was brought to him, he had his way with her and made her his wife. She became pregnant.

Somehow, the man of God Nathan learned of the king’s terrible sins. God sent Nathan to the king. Nathan asked King David why he murdered the woman’s husband and stole the woman when God had been so generous to David, giving him wives and houses and riches, whatever he could ever need or desire! David immediately confessed, telling Nathan the man of God, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan then tells the king that God has forgiven him, but that his child recently borne to his new wife will die.

So the baby becomes ill. But King David thinks that maybe, just maybe, if he begs God, God might spare the child. So he fasts and lays on the bare ground and begs and begs God to please heal his child. He does this for a week, and the child dies.

Here’s the kicker: When the king learns his child has died, he takes a bath, moisturizes his skin, and puts on clean clothes. THEN HE GOES TO CHURCH AND WORSHIPS GOD. Then he comes back home to the palace and has a meal.

Could you worship God after your child dies? I think most of us would be pretty pissed off at God for taking our child from us that way.

But David knew he deserved much worse. David knew that this terrible act of God was a kindness. In this event, David shows us what it looks like to be a mature person in his understanding of his humble position in relation to the Maker of the Universe. When our trespass is pointed out to us, we don’t take offense, but rather confess we did the thing right away, petition God for forgiveness, and take what’s coming to us. Our anger at God’s action or non-action is utterly inconsequential, for, like it or not, God’s authority far surpasses any authority we might imagine we have, in any matter.

So go to church and worship God, because God is God, and you are just… you.