Bible Studies

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... because of this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of God ...
2 Samuel 12:14



God intends Nathan’s words, here spoken directly to David, for far more ears than his. The timeless urgency of their message God speaks daily, to the heart of every one of His children. He speaks them steadily into mine.

How does God get me to understand, to choose to grasp and suck into the very fiber of my soul, that my life lives itself out on a vast and closely watched stage? An eternal arena, veiled to human eye, where far more lies at stake than I come close to imagining.

My words, my thoughts, my deeds make up weapons in an arsenal, never emptied, kept full by the heart of man. An arsenal the enemies of God utilize with excruciating skill, taking aim after careful aim at God’s own heart ... a heart buried deep in the soul of the creation He loves so much.

This dreaded enemy finds himself equipped carelessly, thoughtlessly by my own hand. And the heart I love is wounded. Why does that not bring me up short? Why does that not re-direct my steps into fuller obedience? Is my love for my fellow man, God’s beloved creation, so totally lacking that I will not look past my own desire into the eternal arena over-run with hungry, snarling lions…each and every one waiting to pounce, to mangle, to devour?

Yes, His mercy and His grace covers me! But it’s still calling others, others who cannot hear over the bellowing roar my deeds fuel. My King’s beloved others who’ve yet to feel His great love, being vanquished still by merciless pain the enemy inflicts with weapons placed in his skillful hands, by me. Deadly weapons I did not care to see.



Father God, my Great and Almighty Lord, give me eyes to see beyond myself, beyond my desire. Open my eyes, my heart to the eternal panorama on which my life is lived. Like ripples in a pond, my life reaches far beyond myself, far beyond what these temporal eyes can see. Words spoken, actions chosen, desires followed …each a weapon in a celestial conflict. Weapons of wounding in the hands of Your enemy, or armaments of healing and hope and offered grace when surrendered humbly to Your keeping. Beloved Lamb, so pour into this earthen vessel Your love that never again will I give great occasion to Your enemy to inflict his wound on any soul …

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