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2 Samuel 12:10

¹⁰Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'

After David had Uriah killed and married Bathsheba, God sent the prophet Nathan to David. He told him the story of a man who had one little lamb that was his only and dearest possession. A wealthy man of the city came and took the lamb from him to feed to his guest. David said that wealthy man deserved death. Nathan's response must have stunned David, "You are the man!" David thought his sin was undiscovered, but God loved David too much to let it go.

The real crime in sin is the despising of God. David knew God had blessed him and given him all that he had. Every victory was because of God. Every blessing was the grace of God. He already had at least three wives, but he despised the goodness of God and took what was not his to take. That is the root of all sin, a despising of God and His goodness, demanding what we want though it is not ours to take. This is the height of ingratitude. If God was a man who was that generous and good and you abused his trust, he would probably end the relationship. Thank God for being more gracious and forgiving than men!

David repented. He would now have to face the consequences. The cycle of sin would affect generations to come. The unguarded, rebellious moment would cause untold pain and suffering in David's life and in the lives of his descendants. Sin is never insignificant. One seed sown reaps a harvest of trouble.

Admonition: Guard your heart! Do not despise the Lord and His goodness.