Displeased the LORD.

The account of David and Bathsheba, contained mostly in 2 Samuel 11, is a riveting example of an otherwise faithful person making a bad decision, and then piling other bad decisions on top in a sad attempt to cover up his first bad decision.

The final two verses of that chapter imply that David might have successfully gotten away with his wicked scheme. But then comes the bone chilling final sentence of that chapter (2 Samuel 11:27, KJV),

But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Yikes! We wouldn't want to be in David's shoes!

Of course, we often put ourselves in exactly those shoes. We engage in some action, concoct some scheme, or follow some path that directly violates God's commandments. We might not even consider God, and when we (temporarily) get away with it, we think no-harm-no-foul!

Before embarking upon any action, we must stop to contemplate whether it might displease God. Had David done that, he could have avoided some of the horrific grief that would soon fall upon him.

Why did God create us?

We'll never know the complete answer to that question, at least not during this lifetime. After all, God says (Isaiah 55:9, KJV),

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

But even though we can't completely grasp God's motivation, Paul provides a hint about why we were created. Actually, it's more than a hint; it's a direction on how to live! Paul states (Ephesians 2:10 KJV),

We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

That is, God predestined, even before our birth, that we should pursue "good works" and "walk in them."

So if that's our main reason for existing, then it's especially distressful -- first to God, but also eventually to ourselves -- when we don't "walk in them," but rather follow our own earthly pursuits. Let us recommit our ways to God, and ask for forgiveness for the times we've failed to walk in his ways

Doubting God's power

2 Kings 6 tells of a great famine in Samaria, with verse 25 (KJV) indicating how bad things got in terms of prices,

An ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.

Although those units don't make sense to us today, the subsequent verses illustrate that the economic suffering had become so severe that people began resorting to cannibalism!

But then, in 2 Kings 7:1 (KJV), Elisha delivers a message from God that relief was on the way,

Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel.

Again, the units don't make sense to modern ears, but those decreases in prices must have been substantial, even hard to believe. In response, one of the Kings helpers responds with doubt (verse 2, KJV),

Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?

The remainder of the chapter indicates that, not only did God bring relief from the great famine, but the King's helper died as a result of his skepticism.

The King's helper's sin was three-fold:
1) He doubted the power of God.
2) He doubted God's creativity, in that God can solve problems in ways we don't expect.
3) He doubted Elisha, who already had a demonstrated record of reliability in speaking for God.

Of course, we commit those same sins every day. Let us not doubt God's power, God's creativity, or God's messages delivered in a variety of ways.

Proverbs 3:6

Verse 6 of chapter 3 might be one of the most recognizable of Solomon's Proverbs. It reads (KJV),

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

(The verse directly before this one makes clear that "him" and "he" refer to God.) This proverb, in many ways, sums up all the other proverbs. It's simple and easy to memorize. Whatever happens throughout our day -- whether we encounters joy, sadness, stress, pain -- let us try to "acknowledge him." The proverb promises that he will direct our paths!

Simple advice from Samuel

In 1 Samuel 12:24-25 (KJV), Samuel warns the Israelites of the dangers of a king. But his words offer a general path of advice for all of us, in all settings. He says,

Fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed.

So much of the bible boils down to this: Serve God with all your heart, ponder his blessings, and avoid sin.

How to respond to God's gifts

In the final chapter of Joshua (chapter 24), God, speaking through Joshua, recounts all the wonderful things he has done for the Israelites (verses 1-13). Then beginning in verse 14, God instructs the Israelites regarding how they are to respond (verse 14, KJV),

Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served ... and serve ye the Lord.

The people, recalling God's works, agree to serve him, to which Joshua responds (verses 22-23, KJV), 

Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him ... Now therefore put away ... the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel.

And this is exactly how we are to respond to God. Let us reflect upon the gifts -- including life -- that he has given us. And then let us remove evil influences from our lives and "incline our heart unto God."

Counsel at the mouth of the LORD

Joshua 9 finds the Israelites having recently demolished Jericho and Ai. The Gibeonites, fearing they'll be next, devise a scheme to trick the Israelites into entering a peace treaty. The scheme works, and, as a result, the Gibeonites live amongst the Israelites, creating a constant source of moral corruption.

But a really fascinating aspect of the story appears in verse 14, when the narrator describes why the Israelites fall for the Gibeonites' deception (Joshua 9:14, KJV),

The [Israelites] ... asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.

How often do we fall into trouble -- perhaps even moral corruption -- by failing to consult God? The message is clear and simple, and it give us a roadmap for avoiding such trouble. Pray without ceasing!