A Daily Purpose

Bible Study & Devotional (Day 147)

Read Today’s Passages (May 27, 2022)

🔴 “Selfish Desires.”

Contributing Writer: Holly Rigos

The heart of desire seldom considers the consequences or full implications of its actions. While a heart of wisdom and prudence considers its ways before acting. A selfish heart of desire acts hastily and brings calamity upon itself and others.

Today’s reading is an example of how the prophet Nathan wisely reproofed David’s selfish actions with a story before exhorting his sinful behavior.

Take a moment to read

2 Samuel 12:1-6

The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.” David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

How did this story make you feel?

Do you agree with the rich man’s actions?

Should the poor man be repaid?

How was David’s anger appropriate?

Now, we should never take God’s Word out of context. The following verses paint an entirely new picture and situation-specific to David’s own sinful behavior.

Continue reading verses 2 Samuel 12:7-10.

David’s transgressions were brought to the light and exposed. Therefore, neither are our sins hidden from God.

David condemned his own sin in Nathan’s story it was then that he could find forgiveness. We, like David, often try to deflect our sin by minimizing the blame of our sin; we struggle to condemn sin in ourselves.

Nathan had to “shock” David with the simplicity of “YOU ARE THE MAN”. (v7)

Personal salvation requires a personal conviction of sin.

David had to stop generalizing his sin by saying “I am a sinner” but acknowledge and repent of his at this very point.

So, I leave you with an opportunity to allow God to accuse, condemn, and SAVE you. What confession lies deep in your heart that needs to be pleaded before God in specificity. God will put away your sin immediately just like he did with David (verse 13).

Holly Rigos

Wife.Mom.Storyteller.Photographer.Teacher.TechDIYer.Believer.

After enduring two family members succumbing to cancer, two family friends were killed in the line of duty only then to watch my own husband battle Lymphoma in his 30s. I was at a crossroads with my faith – I could either TRUST GOD or not. I choose to TRUST and CAPTURE our legacy for God’s glory. GOD is knitting our story – I believe in the redeeming love of my Lord and Savior. To tell my story is to tell HIS. How is God knitting YOUR story?

This devotional was submitted by Holly Rigos, a loving contributor to Our Given Purpose. Edited by Torrie Slaughter the founder of Our Given Purpose® in the Commonwealth of Virginia.