Spring in all its glory finally arrived in Colorado, and I’m watching plants emerge from the soil. I forget over the winter what I planted in previous years. One of the joyous aspects of gardening are the perennials put in the ground years ago again stretching out under the sun. They shine as good consequences of past decisions.

But I think of bad consequences when I read the account of David and Bathsheba, one of the most disappointing stories in the Bible. The tragedy started with a poor decision: In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army…But David remained at home.

David devolved from there. He took another man’s wife; sent sealed orders carried by the husband to have him killed; acted pious at the death of this loyal fighter; moved Bathsheba into his palace; and camouflaged the deceit.

As a consequence of David’s actions Uriah died, Bathsheba’s baby died, and David’s reign of security died. The entire nation, later torn apart by rebellion, suffered due to the sin of its leader.

Of course, David wholeheartedly returned to the Lord. He prayed, Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

The Lord heard David’s prayers of contrition and opened his arms. That’s good news for David, and great news for us. We’re never so far gone that the Lord won’t welcome us back. But still, consequences followed.

I should never forget that waves emanate from my decisions. The Lord fully forgives, but the Lord also allows the resulting consequences of our actions to walk with us into the future. Rather than the distress of selfishness, pray for the flowering of good decisions in our lives.

2 Samuel 11 & 12; Psalm 51 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Bradyn Trollip