In the process of confessing and repenting of his sin, David recalls the joy he once had. The absence of the joy of the Lord made him vulnerable to temptation in the first place and now he longs for that joy to be restored. In essence, David asks to be restored from a relationship of rebellion to a relationship of worship -- the goal of all true repentance!

Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:

https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

For Reflection:

David asks for more than forgiveness; he asks for the restoration of joy.

- Imagine that you are teaching a children's Sunday school class and a child asks, "Why should we ask for forgiveness when God already knows what we did?" How might you address that child's question?

- The "joy of the Lord is my strength" (Neh 8:10) and "restore to me the joy of your salvation" (Ps. 51:12) both give joy a central role in the Christian life. What might God invite you to do in response to those scriptures?

On this Labor Day, we return to a discussion about work from the book of Ecclesiastes from June 13, 2024. The Teacher makes a surprising assertion -- that hard work is better than wealth. Hard work leaves us satisfied while wealth often just increases our insecurities. In other words, good work is to be preferred to the wealth we imagine might free us from having to work at all! What brings you satisfaction? What draws you closer to the Lord and a sense of purpose?

Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:

https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

For Reflection:

The Teacher asserts that hard work is better than wealth.

- Work brings joy and satisfaction while wealth paradoxically magnifies our sense of insecurity. Have you seen this dynamic in your life or the life of others?

- Recall a moment of deep satisfaction. What helped create that moment? Was it wealth, work, or something else?

- Taylor said that wealth might be good or bad depending on the reasons we pursue it. What are your reasons?

If you knew your time was short, what would you say? King David’s parting advice to Solomon isn’t the simple blessing we might expect—it’s complicated, even troubling. Yet hidden in that tension is wisdom that can change the way we live today.

· ·

👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

In this flashback to June 12, 2023, we return to a word from the Apostle Paul on forgiveness. We know that we are to forgive, but forgive and forget? Is that even possible? This depth of forgiveness is actually something promised by God (Hebrews 10:17) and may be easier for us if we recall the forgiveness God has given to us.

Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:

https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

For Reflection:

Paul refers to a case where discipline was necessary but after repentance, restoration is equally necessary.

- Have you seen church discipline done well, or poorly, or not at all? What were the consequences?

- What does it mean that God forgets our sins (cf. Psalm 103:12, Hebrews 10:17)? What might it mean for us to forgive and forget as well?

No one likes to admit they are wrong. We have even perfected the non-apology apology: "I'm sorry if you were offended!" Rather than evade guilt, David publicly lays out the dimensions of his sin and calls upon the mercy of God, depending not on his own merits but on the compassion and kindness of God. Psalm 51 serves as a template for how we also can call upon God's mercy and forgiveness in true repentance.

Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:

https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

For Reflection:

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9

- Have you ever received or given a non-apology apology? What happened and what was the response to the non-apology?

- Why do you think we hesitate to fully confess our sins to one another, and to God?

- What reasons do you have to believe that God is "faithful and just and will forgive us our sins"?

David sins with Bathsheba, Bathsheba ends up pregnant, so David kills her husband Uriah. Problem solved! No one is wise to the truth! No one except God. God sends Nathan the prophet to confront David. Nathan has much to teach us in the way that he confronts sin. He also serves to remind us that God always knows the truth and stands ready to forgive and heal.

Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:

https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

For Reflection:

It is never easy to confront someone with their sin, especially when that person has the power of a king!

- What do you learn from Nathan in this passage? Is there something about the way that he confronts David that can help you to help to disciple others?

- What do you learn about God in this passage? What do you see about how God views us and how God views our sin?

David's moral failure does not end with Bathsheba. What starts as perhaps a wayward glance leads to deception, betrayal, and eventually the murder of one of his most honorable and loyal warriors. Like a great fire that starts from a single spark, David's life is on the verge of burning down. What can we learn from David's hard turn away from God?

Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:

https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

For Reflection:

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." - Proverbs 4:23

- Imagine David made a list of reasons for and against killing Uriah. What reasons might he have listed in the "for" column and the "against" column?

- Why do you imagine that David ultimately decided to kill Uriah? What reasons might he have given to Joab, his army commander that agreed to set Uriah up to die in battle?

- What do you learn from this part of David's story?

People unfamiliar with the Bible often know two stories about David -- David & Goliath, and David & Bathsheba. The first is one of David's greatest victories and the second is one of his greatest failures. In our own lives, we often has as much to learn from failure as we do success, and so it is with David.

Pastor Dave's sermon on David & Bathsheba:

https://youtu.be/8s4t211UB24

Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:

https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

For Reflection:

David's monumental failure begins almost "innocently" -- a wayward glance after a midday nap.

- How have you seen people ignore or justify potentially dangerous sins as small, innocent, and not worth worrying about?

- Pastor Dave pointed to our strength being rooted in the "joy of the Lord" (Nehemiah 8:10). How might such a joy have protected David? How might it protect you?

- How might God be inviting you to grow in your joy in the Lord?

We all want to pass on a positive, lasting legacy — but what if what we’re really passing on is our brokenness? King David's life exposes how sin seeps into generations. What would it take to break the cycle?

· ·

👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

In this flashback to January 28, 2025, we see Jesus under attack from the religious leaders. Jesus declared that he did not desire their approval because they did not have the love of God in their hearts. How much more whole might our lives be if we were to seek God's love rather than seeking the "likes" of others?

Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:

https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

For Reflection:

Jesus had told the religious leaders that they did not have the words of God in their hearts. Here Jesus adds that they do not have the love of God in their hearts.

- What are some of the ways that God's Word has helped you know God's love for you? What are some of the ways that God's Word has encouraged you to show that love to others?

- Jesus declares that he does not seek the approval of the religious leaders because they do not have the love of God in their hearts. How might your life be different if you were to seek approval only from those who love God?