Today is August 23.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.   
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”   
  
Today’s reading is from the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 11.  
 

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die. When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD.  
 

The last line of this translation feels pretty understated to me. David lusted after his friend’s wife, so he sent his friend to the front lines of fighting, abandoned him on purpose, and left him to be killed. When I listen to this passage, I feel angry. Angry at David and angry at the way human beings can be so callus and hurtful. Angry at how even God-followers have hearts full of evil. Angry even at myself… because I know I have this same thread of sin in my own heart. Often, when we come to prayer, we feel like we need to hide our anger, or other ‘negative’ emotions. Take some time to examine your own heart. What feelings are you holding onto today?  
  
Our translation says that the Lord was displeased. The actual Hebrew word is much stronger. It means distressed by that which is dysfunctional or evil. It has connotations of that which is broken or crushed. What David did didn’t just make God angry like it made me angry. David’s actions had a crushing, a breaking impact. Because God is just. God is good. God saw what David did and saw that it was evil. Listen to the passage again with this more robust translation in mind. 
  
It is easy to read about this horrid episode in the life of David and call it egregious sinfulness. But I wonder where it is that I have done something that has displeased the Lord. I wonder: what have I done, or what am I doing, that has a crushing or breaking impact on God’s character. This is not easy to consider! It’s not something I like to think about! But as we end our time of prayer, can you ask God for grace to show you if there is anything happening in your own life, or heart, or actions… that is displeasing to Him?  Talk to God about these things.   
 
Music: "Kyrie Eleison" - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)