“It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”” 2 Samuel 11:1-5
God of Holiness,
David had wives (2 Samuel 3:2-5 ) and children. He was blessed with family. He we see how easy it is to look and linger too long . . . That could have ended there but then he let it begin to dwell on his mind. And he moved form looking, thinking to doing. How do we know? He involved others by asking about her. He could have stopped at any moment and nothing would have come of it.
We may think that this is not something we would do and perhaps see this as a bigger sin. Well yes it had more consequences. The organised murder of Bathsheba’s husband and the death of the baby conceived. But remind me Lord that to You sin is sin and I should not think I’m not so bad or I don’t do big sins. I should not just trust Your Holy Spirit to warn me when I start to have any wrong thoughts. I should learn to recognise and deal with them.
Paul says we should actively not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. So we will be able to test and approve what is Your will God. Your good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2) It’s part of our maturity as Christians, so we stop the thoughts that are not godly before they move to consideration or actions. And we see You were still faithful to Your promises to David. What a faithful God You are but that does not give us licence . . . .
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Thursday 9th April 2026
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
thou my best thought, in the day or the night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word;
I ever with thee, and thou with me, Lord;
thou my great Father, and I thy true son;
thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Be thou my battle shield sword for the fight;
be thou my dignity, thou my delight,
thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tower;
raise thou me Heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou, and thou only, be first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of Heaven, after victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun,
heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my Vision, O ruler of all.
First verse repeat
Lyrics: Based on a Middle Irish poem most attributed to Dallán Forgaill, an early Christian Irish poet born in 530AD.