Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? . . . Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.”

Devotion based on 2 Samuel 12:7-9,13

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever played hide and seek? It’s fun when you find the perfect hiding spot, and no one can see you! But imagine playing hide and seek against God—do you think you could win? No way! God sees everything and knows everything. That’s exactly what Adam and Eve learned when they tried to hide from him after they sinned. Spoiler alert: It didn’t work!

In today’s lesson, King David made a big mistake—he sinned. But instead of admitting what he did, he tried to cover it up by making more bad choices. He thought he could keep it a secret from the people around him. But there was one BIG problem—he couldn’t hide from God!

Because God loved David, he didn’t let him stay stuck in his sin. God sent the prophet Nathan to talk to David and help him see his mistake. When Nathan told him the truth, David finally stopped hiding and admitted his sin. And do you know what happened next? God forgave him—right away!

Sometimes, we might think we’re “off the hook” if we don’t get caught doing something wrong. But hiding sin never really works—it can make us feel guilty, and it hurts our relationship with God. That’s why it’s so important to be honest, confess our sins, and ask for forgiveness. And when we do, God is always ready to forgive us, just like he forgave David!

So, instead of trying to hide, let’s thank God for putting people like Nathan in our lives—people who help us do what’s right. Most of all, let’s remember that Jesus already paid for all our sins on the cross so that we can be forgiven and live forever with him in heaven!

Dear God, I’m sorry for the times I’ve disobeyed you and hurt others. Thank you for loving me, forgiving me, and always being there for me. Help me to be honest about my mistakes and trust in Jesus for forgiveness. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above