2 Samuel 12:22

"Handfuls of Purpose"

For All Gleaners

"While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?" 2 Samuel 12:22 .

David had been afflicted because of the sin which he had committed. The prophet had foretold that the child that was to be born unto him should surely die. In fulfilment of this prophecy the Lord struck the child, and it was very sick. David, though a guilty sinner, had a tender heart. Above all the tumult of his wrongdoing there came the voice of prayer and intercession. David besought God for the child, and fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. " The elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died." Now David shows another aspect of his character, the strong, soldierly, royal aspect. He had fought a battle, and lost it; he would not give up hope so long as life flickered in the pulse; he wrestled with death, and would have thrown the grim monster if he could; but death was not to be pacified by his tears or to be driven away by all his prayers. A marvellous tribute is paid to God's goodness in this very confession of David, "Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me?" he had seen so many acts of graciousness on the part of God; God had so often turned away from wrath, and rejoiced in mercy; he had overlooked so much, delivered from so many dangers, interposed in so many crises, that David had a lingering hope that even yet, though the sword was lifted high, it would be turned aside, and the little child should be permitted to live. We must accept the providences of heaven alike when they are blessings and when they are judgments. In this case the providence was a judgment, and David accepted it, saying, "Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." Thus we have to fall into the march of the divine providence; we have to note the rhythm of the heavenly movement and keep in step with it; and this being so, our resignation will be accepted as repentance, and our obedience accounted as prayer. The man had sinned, sinned deeply, sinned all but unpardonably; yet, account for it as we may, there was something in him which God could not but look upon with complacency; the very seed of heaven was in him, and he had a great election to realise and justify. So it may be with many of us. We have great sins, but our love may be greater than our guilt. After all we have done, enough indeed to darken all heaven as with a frown, it may be that the voice of God within us shall be stronger than the voice of temptation, and out of great sin and infinite danger, we may be brought to peace, restoration, and eternal blessedness. Let no man trifle with these hopes, or these sacred promises; they were not meant to be trodden under foot, or to be made excuses for redoubling our sin; they were meant to deter us from the repetition of evil, and to encourage us in our upward way.