Day 22: When the Mirror Is Held Up

Opening Scripture

2 Samuel 12:7 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” (NIV)

Devotional Reflection

David, whom God refers to as a man after God’s own heart, does the unthinkable. After becoming king and witnessing God’s faithfulness through continual victory, David chooses not to go out to battle with his army. So confident was he in success that he may have believed his presence was unnecessary, assuming victory was already a foregone conclusion.

As he neglects his responsibility as Israel’s military leader, David looks out from the palace and sees a woman bathing. As was customary, she was bathing on the roof of her home, but because David’s vantage point was elevated, he saw her. Though he was warned that she was married, he took her, and she became pregnant. To conceal his sin, David brought her husband home from the battlefield. Yet her husband, loyal to the men still at war, refused the comfort of being with his wife. David then sent him back to the front lines with instructions that ensured his death. The man after God’s own heart committed adultery and murder.

What may be even more disturbing is how David then acted as though he had done nothing wrong. He played the hero by taking in a grieving widow, hiding his sin behind deeper layers of deceit. He managed not only to conceal his actions from others, but also to suppress them within his own conscience. It is remarkable how easily the human mind can compartmentalize sin and pretend it is not there. It was not until Nathan confronted him with the words, “You are the man!” that David allowed the Holy Spirit to bring conviction.

This reveals the nature of the human heart. Facing the darker aspects of who we are is deeply uncomfortable. The pride of our sinful nature resists accountability—and in doing so, resists God. Prayer, worship, church attendance, and any practice designed to turn our eyes toward God require us to look honestly at ourselves in His presence and confess our sin. Because of this, our natural tendency is to avoid God, allowing our attention to drift toward other concerns, problems, and self-made solutions. Over time, this makes it easy to slowly fall away.

Spiritual practices are what bring us back. Daily rhythms of worship, study, prayer, and confession force us to set our eyes once again on God and on who we are before Him. These practices both convict us of our sin and reassure us of His forgiveness. Through them, we continue to grow and move forward in faith. When our daily and weekly practices fade, we should not be surprised when our growth slows. To be devoted, we must remain committed to the practices that consistently turn our eyes back to Jesus.

The Examen

Where might I be minimizing, justifying, or overlooking sin in my own life?

What spiritual practices help keep my heart honest and open before God?

Lectio Divina Scripture

Psalm 51:1–4

¹ Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion

blot out my transgressions.

² Wash away all my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is always before me.

⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight;

so you are right in your verdict

and justified when you judge. (NIV)

 Read the passage slowly, out loud, several times. With each reading, emphasize a different word or phrase. Notice what stands out and why.

Prayer Prompt

Lord, give me the courage to see myself honestly before You. Let Your Spirit convict me where needed and remind me of Your forgiveness so that I may continue growing in devotion to You. Amen.