II Samuel 24:14 “And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.”
Have you ever compared calamities with someone? Maybe you tell someone what happened to you, and they say, “You think that is bad? Listen to what happened to me!” Comparing injuries, bad days, or troubles is a silly thing to do. In II Samuel 24, God allows David to choose one of three judgements for his sin. David had a tough decision to weigh!
What led to David having to choose? We find his sin in the first part of the chapter. David numbered the people (verse 1), but he was trusting in himself instead of God. David confessed to the Lord in verse 10, “I have sinned greatly . . . take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.”
Because of his sin, David was now “in a great strait.” David’s choice was to plead for mercy and leave the choice to God. God’s mercies “are great” and David could trust God’s choice. You, too, can trust God in the way He handles those who wrong you. God will pay back. We can trust God with your enemies, and we can trust God with ourselves when we do wrong.
The point of the choices David was given is not severity-which one would be better or worse; the point is that God knows what is right. He is a just God and a merciful God. If you were in David’s shoes, which one would you want? The most severe or the one with a little mercy? I would want God’s mercy!
After David’s sin and his strait, we see his sacrifice in verse 24. He bought the threshing floor and oxen at full price because, as he said, “I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing.” Interestingly, David’s son, Solomon, would later build the temple on this very place.
David trusted God to do the right thing. Today, you can trust God with your enemies, and you can trust God with yourself. God mercies are great, and He will give the right thing in the right measure.
Prayer Requests: – Bill Rice Ranch Father & Son Retreat (5/15-16)
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