2 Samuel 12:1-24

So, David thinks he got away with it.  Sure, a man is dead, but Bathsheba is now his wife and every one will simply think she became pregnant after the fact.  But then Nathan the prophet pays him a visit.  Nathan tells a little story of lies and greed.  David is outraged!  How dare a rich man steal the lamb of a poor man, he should be put to death!  He should pay the man back fourfold.  Wise king David is able to make an accurate judgment upon this man, yet he is blind to his own sin.  It takes Nathan to point out the obvious.  

Sound familiar?  How easily do we sin?  How easily do we deny our sins, push them under the rug, hide them from everyone including ourselves.  Yet, we have no trouble pointing out the is in others.  We judge, we gossip, we confront.  All the while, we are guilty ourselves.  Ever heard the saying, "people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones?"  How about, "He who is without sin, cast the first stone?"  or "Judge not, that you be not judged?"  

Nathan continues with his message from the Lord - the Lord is enraged by David's actions.  Then David repents and the Lord states that David has been forgiven, but there are still consequences for his actions.  Just as there are consequences for our actions.  Now, the question of the death of the child is difficult to understand, the following statement by Daniel F. Case sums up my thoughts better than I can myself.  

"The death of David’s newborn son seems, at first look, to be a cruel and unfair punishment of an innocent child. There are many commentaries that see this from other perspectives, including that the child would have lived a painful and disgraceful life, as an illegitimate son, and his death as an infant was merciful. Others have commented on the possible ramifications of this illegitimate child becoming king. Still others see the example of atonement, an innocent life being given to redeem the life of the guilty. Frankly, I don’t have a definitive answer. The child’s death does, however, underscore an important truth; our sin affects not only ourselves, but also those around us. The long-reaching effect of a moment of sinful self-indulgence can be disastrous. We seldom pause to consider that factor in a moment of temptation. If we could see the results of our actions clearly, we’d say “no” more often."  (www.case-studies.com/david4)

I would add one more thing to this statement, God is known to make big gestures when dealing directly with his people, especially in the Old Testament.  Each of these big gestures or harsh consequences is used as an example for the people.  David's sin was a big deal.  He was the anointed king of Israel, the spiritual leader of his people.  If David can sin with no consequences, what is to keep the people from sinning?  "If the king got away with it, so can I."  It all comes back to whether or not you trust God to make the best choice in every situation - that is what faith is.  Trusting God even when you might not agree.  Understanding that there is a big picture that we can't see, but we know that we know that God is working for the greatest good.

So, when you fall to temptation, when you sin - you might face some consequences.  Respond like David, accept the consequence, learn from your mistakes, and continue to grow closer to the Lord.