Soldier of the Cross I

Friday 14 April
READ: II Sam. 11:1-4, 13-15
MORE LESSONS: Psa. 51:1-5

There are many lessons to learn from the pathetic story of King David and Uriah the Hittite, that true and exemplary soldier of David's (Israel) army. That was the soldier whose wife Bathsheba David the king impregnated while the man was on the battlefield to defend the territorial integrity of the kingdom. In fact, verse 1 ends by saying, …But David tarried still at Jerusalem. For me, there is a serious lesson here. May be, if David had been at the battle front as expected at that time, he would have been spared this shameful story. May be grace to help him at that hour of temptation could have been available if only he had been at the right place. Obviously, one sin will always lead to another until there is courage (grace) to say no.
There are lessons to learn from this story. First, David didn't go to war and then he fell to adultery, then to cover the first sin, he attempted to make Uriah go back home in time of war (v 8) and when that didn't work, he went for the worst. He arranged for Uriah a faithful soldier to die at the battle front, so David committed murder. Our first lesson today among many is that every attempt to conceal a sin will lead to a greater sin. Only mercy can cover iniquity, nothing else! Truth, when spoken, can cause an initial pain, shame and embarrassment, but in the long run truth is a healer, deliverer and it brings honour.
Lying does not offer permanent joy but a false hope because every secret will eventually be revealed. King David eventually faced the truth, terminated the guilty conscience, went through the punishment and is today in Heaven with Jesus.
No matter what we say or write about this story, David is with Jesus and the temporary setback eventually became a glory, because he settled with the Lord of his life. Stop the secret act, brace up for the truth; it is the only mark of a soldier of the cross! Jesus' blood has paid for and covered the past. Enlist in the army of the truthful soldiers now! A truthful soldier does not seek to cover the evil he has done, rather he will seek to be forgiven. He does not call black, white or vice versa, he can say it as it is, no diplomacy by lying. A true soldier is more interested in pleasing his commander in chief - Jesus, and truth is his greatest pleasure, so let us fear the Master, not the men around Him and stand in the truth. Man may never forgive or forget when we tell the truth, but God will, so be a true soldier of the cross; stand in the truth always.

Prayer/Action
* Ask for mercy and cleansing by the blood of Jesus wherever any sin exists, in Jesus’ name.
* Declare that sin shall not have its grip over you, in the name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
The sound of unending joy and jubilation shall characterise the rest of my year beginning from today, in the name of Jesus.