SLIPPERY SLOPE
Today's reading: 2 Samuel 8-11

"...But the Lord was very displeased with what David had done." 2 Samuel 11:27 NLT

Let's get this out in the open right here and right now: this sad spot is not where David started out.

No, it's a place he chose.

A place he allowed himself to inhabit.

A spot he settled into by his actions and deeds.

If you've been reading 2 Samuel with me, you've read how with each chapter, God had been building up His kingdom through David. God had been allowing David to overcome enemy after enemy. God had given David strength. God had been with David.

And then, well, then we come to chapter 11. This is where I would cue the sad music. This is where David chooses to make some poor choices. David acts unwisely. David decides to walk too closely to a pit of temptation. Let's look at his choices...

-when other kings went to war, he stayed home
-he noticed a woman of exceptional beauty-no passing glance here, folks
-he sent someone to find out who she was
-he sent for her
-he slept with her
-he attempted to cover things up by calling her husband home
-he had her husband killed

David could have stopped this downward spiral at any given point by changing his choices, but he chose to continue--and therefore we find him in this horrible spot, God being very displeased with him.

God's chosen one. God's anointed one. The leader of God's people. The head of God's country.

What an in-the-face reminder of how important it is to make each and every choice with a look in to the future. To pause and see what kind of impact our deeds might have. To realize before a decision is made how easily it might be for one thing to lead to another...to lead to another..to lead to another...