MONDAY 29 February, 2016
A Great Occasion for the Enemy
However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lordto blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” - 2 Samuel 12:14
David needed to understand that his sin not only affected the lives of others but it had also given the enemy a cause to speak evil of God. When David was young, in the name of God, he had fought Goliath. In his victory he wanted the whole earth to know there was a God in Israel (1 Samuel 17:46). His life exalted the name of the LORD! But now, through his sinful deed God was mocked.
That is exactly what happens when we sin. People laugh at the church––big time. People begin to think that God was not powerful enough to keep us from sin as a Christian or that He was too weak to accomplish what He had intended to do in our lives.
Sin has a domino effect and we must think about those who are going to get hurt. Your little children—what about when they go to school? Other kids might say, “We heard about your dad.” What about your neighbors? In the shopping center, they will gossip and ask questions, “What happened to your husband?” We need to underline this verse in our Bibles to remind ourselves not to give the enemy any occasion to ridicule God because of our immoral failures.
There is nothing worse than blasphemy.
~Chrysostom~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!