2012 another chapter in The Story.
In October of 2011 New Hope Church began its journey through The Story, a journey through the Bible in story form. Thus far it has been a great trip. I am getting regular reports of the great impact this is having as people get a perspective on their story in the midst of God’s grand story.
This week we turn the page, another year, another chapter in our story. Interestingly enough we come to the part of the story where history records David’s repentance for his sin with Bathsheba.
David sinned by sleeping with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife. When she became pregnant David tried to cover his sin by bringing Uriah back from battle, where David should have been all along. David figured when Uriah came home he would sleep with his wife and the sin would never be realized. But Uriah didn’t cooperate. He never went home to his wife because of his loyalty to his comrades in arms. David arranged for Uriah to be killed in battle. Then after the period of mourning Bathsheba came to be David’s wife and bore him a son.
A year passed…
There were no psalms written by David
A year passed…
There was no battle won.
A year passed in silence.
Until Nathan the prophet came, confronted David with his sin.
Four words broke the silence: “You are that man.”
David didn’t try to run from his sin. Instead he said, “I have sinned.”
We turn the page. Another year begins. Let us not have a silent year. If there is sin in your life, confess it to God. Surely he will cleanse you and make you whiter than snow. (Psalm 51)
Enjoy this little article from the producers of The Story
Chapter 12 / What to Do With Your “Third Week of March”
When Pope John Paul died, a man named Rogers Cadenhead quickly registered the web address http://www.BenedictXVI.com, thinking this might be the name chosen by the new pope. When Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope, he did choose the name Pope Benedict XVI, causing some to question what the Vatican would do to get the rights to that domain name.
Cadenhead didn’t ask the Vatican for money. Instead, in a humorous manner on his blog he suggested a few things he would trade for:
- Three days, two nights at the Vatican hotel.
- One of those hats (referring to the bishop’s hat).
- Complete absolution, no questions asked, for the third week of March 1987.
Wonder what Rogers did the third week of March in 1987? Me too, but does it really matter?. Most of us have at least a week for which we’d love to have total forgiveness.
We discover in The Story that David did. One day when the army is at war, David, who is the commander of the nation’s military, neglects his duties and stays behind. He sees Bathsheba, seduces her, gets her pregnant, murders her husband, and tries to cover up his actions by deceiving his general and soldiers. Then he marries Bathsheba and she bears their child.
It looks as if David will get away with all of this. But he doesn’t. God sends his prophet Nathan to confront David by telling him a story about a poor man with one lamb. David knows something about sheep and shepherds, so he listens. Nathan says that the poor man has a rich neighbor who needs to slaughter a lamb to feed a guest, but instead of taking one of his many sheep he steals the poor’s man’s one lamb.
David is incensed and says that man should be put to death. Nathan then declares, “You are the man!” At that moment David must have wished he had bought a domain name that he could swap for absolution. He may have wanted to make excuses. Explain things away. Blame it on Bathsheba for taking a bath in broad daylight where he could see. But instead of making excuses, David confesses. “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Sam. 12:13).
And God did with David’s sin what he will do with yours and mine. He put it away (Psalm 103:12-13).
You can do what David did. Whatever your “third week of March” might be, sit down with it, yourself and God. Confess your sin. And then let another shepherd from Bethlehem forgive it. That’s better than any domain name you might secure.
New Hope 