Life is a gift that was given to us by our magnificently generous Heavenly Father. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to come to earth in order to give us access to a more than abundant life. This reveals the Father’s heart towards us. He wants us to live life to the fullest, and the only way to accomplish this is to live it through Jesus Christ. This means that we must line up our thoughts, behaviors, attitudes, and actions to resemble the example of our beloved Redeemer. When we do this, we will live a bless existence, but if we don’t, God will not be pleased, and we will move in the opposite direction of His love and blessings.
It is very important to understand that the Father has given us knowledge about what pleases Him in His Word. He tells us in Hebrews 11:6(NLT), “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” There can be no question that faith pleases God and not having faith in Him does not please Him. Well, what is faith? Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the confidence that what we’re hoping for will actually manifest. Faith is the title deed to the thing we’ve prayed to receive before it arrives in the natural realm. In other words, faith is believing in God’s ability and willingness to bless us when we pray and live according to His Will. It requires consistency and commitment.
When it comes to the area of our significant relationships, many of us have a very challenging time applying the kind of faith that Hebrews 11:1 explains. Often, we leave God out of the equation and this is a very dangerous move. This danger is made very clear in the record of David’s lust for Bathsheba. During Old Testament times, God appointed David to be king over his people. 2Samuel 11:2-4 tells us that late one afternoon, after a nap, he took a walk on the roof of the palace. He looked out and spanned over the city and noticed Bathsheba taking a ceremonial bath. She was unusually beautiful, and David sent his messengers to get her. They brought her to the palace, and she and David were intimate. This was a very bad move on David’s behalf, and it opened the door for lots of trouble.
Bathsheba was already married to Uriah and later she discovered she was pregnant with David’s child. When his plan to cover this up didn’t work, King David ordered Uriah, a soldier, to be placed on the front lines where the battle was most fierce, and there he was killed. 2Samuel 11:26-27(NLT) tells us, “26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27 When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the LORD was displeased with what David had done.”
There is no hiding that David abused his power against Uriah and Bathsheba. Women didn’t have the rights they do today. It was probably near impossible for Bathsheba to refuse the advances of the king, but as God’s daughters living today, we have nothing like her excuse. Ephesians 1:3 tells us that God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings because of our union with Jesus Christ. Therefore, we can use the wisdom of God’s Word to be smart about the choices we make. Having an allegiance to God through the Lord Jesus Christ gives us a deeply rooted confidence that Bathsheba didn’t have. We must wear this confidence like a second skin and represent Christ in our appearance and actions.
Yes, in our modern times, there are men that have attitudes very similar to David. They feel a sense of entitlement and that we should abdicate our allegiance to God through Christ for their physical pleasure. We must not do this. Nothing and no one should make us go against the Word and Will of God, and we should not seek to please a person over pleasing our Heavenly Father.
1Thessalonians 4:3(NLT) tells us, “God's will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.” This commandment isn’t only for those we consider to be deeply religious or pious. God has set His people apart, and all of us should be holy and committed to live a life that is pleasing to Him. “Would God be pleased?” is a question that should be continually on our hearts and minds and answering this question honestly can help to keep us on a safe and prosperous path. Steering clear of men that God has not stamped with His approval can keep us out of compromising situations. Remember, Bathsheba may not have been able to take a stand for righteousness, but as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, you and I definitely should. If we pray and ask God for guidance in this area, He will let us know when a person is wrong for our lives, and it’s best to steer clear.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Would God Be Pleased?”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2022. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
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