Where is the grace? David in his entitlement has committed adultery, killed a faithful soldier, and put his whole kingdom at risk.
David prays for the gift of a happy heart.
The shame, the guilt, the horror of what he is done is acknowledged and owned with repentance, a letting go of all his protections and self-justifications, and an open heart to God. He asks for mercy, for cleansing, for freedom from being weighed down by what he has done. He asks for joy. That is so unfair, and he is allowed to pray that, and he is welcomed to pray that. And so are we. Not to misuse the power we have, but to continue, living with the consequences, working through them, as we are able, and others allow or are ready for. To go forward without be wracked by guilt or self-loathing. That is not just a letting go, and then being bleagh, totally flat. It is a letting go into God’s mercy, and daring to love again, himself, and others. David holds his head up again, not in arrogance or entitlement anymore, but in the deep transforming that happens as we go through necessary humiliation into a new way of being.
And those who have been victims of misuse of power are called to their own journeying into grace, healing, and not taking revenge. It is unfair, but we are all called into the life of faith and trust, and having a clean heart. We are all called to live from a deeper love, the love of God for us in Christ.
God is still with David in his very difficult and messy life situations. David has to leave his capital, as one son takes control. You can read in the next few chapters of 2nd Samuel how that all plays out. But God’s blessing is not removed from him, as it isn’t from us, even when we don’t get things right, or perfect.
The deepest sign of that is that the promise that one day the Messiah will be born, is carried through David and Bathsheba’s next baby, who will become King Solomon.
Finally, we are called to trust in God’s faithfulness and mercy to work transformation and good change, even in the most painful situations.
