God Does Not Forget

David is one of the most celebrated individuals in all of humanity, but that doesn't mean he was perfect. One of the most famous, and unsavory, stories in the Bible occurs in 2 Samuel 11. The chapter describes how David sets his sights on the beautiful, but married, Bathsheba. David impregnates Bathsheba, and after some unsuccessful attempts to cover it up, David arranges for the murder of Bathsheba's husband.

The second-to-last sentence of the chapter reads (ESV),

And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son.

Problem solved, right? It seems as if David has managed to brush this problem under the rug, now that Bathsheba's husband is out of the way.

However, we then arrive at the last sentence of the chapter (ESV),

But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

That sentence, which contain the first mention of God in 2 Samuel 11, should send chills up our spines. God doesn't forget our sins, and he especially detests when we smugly convince ourselves that we're "good." To David's credit, he later confesses in the truly beautiful Psalm 51 (ESV),

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgement.

What a prayer! What a confession! Is it any wonder that David, despite his sins, stands as such a remarkable example of humble faith. So the lesson: Don't wait for God's wrath. And don't try to push sin out of your mind. Acknowledge your sins before God. It sure worked for David!