Hiding from an all-seeing God

As humans who are sinful we do resort to hiding, trying to cover our sin with man-made means.

We saw this in our reading this morning in 2 Samuel 11. David had stayed away from leading his men in battle. That left him alone and more susceptible to temptation. As he went up to his roof and looked around a woman bathing caught his gaze. That was his first moment of decision. He could have looked away or looked in God-like love (always seeking the best for others), but instead he let lust rule the day.

He went on to inquire as to who this woman was, and though the answer was that she was another man's wife, he went ahead and sent for her. Again, he had a moment of decision. Would he violate so clear a command from God not to take another man's wife. But alas....he sent for her, had relations with her, and she became pregnant.

It is important to step back and consider what has happened here. David was a man so blessed of God. God had walked with him and protected him, and had now given him the kingdom. How could David, in ungratefulness, grasp for more? Likely there was a battle raging in his mind. I am sure the forces of truth were battle those of deceit. But in the end lies won out and David committed his sin.

So what would he do next? Well, when deceit rules the day, it leads to further deceit - it leads to hiding. So David tried to deceive Bathsheba's husband. Could he get him to leave the battle and go lie with his wife, thus covering David's sin. Much to David's disappointment Uriah was too much a man of integrity. He would not lie with his wife when the rest of Israel was unable to do so because they were attending to their duty. Uriah's character and choice was such a contrast to David's at this time in his life. It must have panged David a bit, but not enough to abandon his life.

So having failed to deceive Uriah, David continued his cover-up attempt by having Uriah killed. He sent word to Joab with instructions to put Uriah at the front of the battle and then when the fighting got heavy to withdraw from him.

His plan seemed to work.....or did it? The last verse of the chapter says it all. "But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord." Trying to hide from an all-seeing God doesn't work. How foolish it is to forget this.

As humans and sinners this is an important truth to always consider. We live under the gaze of God. He sees all and He sees all with perfect clarity. We can try to cover our sin and hide, but those attempts do us no good. We cannot fool the Lord, and such hiding only does damage to our souls.

Instead we should take the counsel of Ezekiel 18:31-32: "Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn and live."

The call is to repent - turn and live. Hiding or covering our sins is not the answer. Uncovering them by confessing them before the Lord and then letting the Lord cover them with the blood of Christ is the only way to see those sins cast away as far as the east is from the west.

Oh sinner, come clean before the Lord. Stop your hiding! Come and receive the only cure at the fount of Christ's cross!