When We Cannot Undo

“The Lord sent Nathan to David. He said to him, ‘There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.  The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb… He brought it up, and it grew up with him and his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms… Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it…’ Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, ‘The man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and had no pity.’

“Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! Thus says the Lord.., “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah… Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife… Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me…”’ David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.'” 2 Samuel 12:1-10,13

Emotions pull and tension builds as the prophet Nathan unfolds the poignant story, and just as instantly as David reacts in just anger, he is convicted to the core of his depraved being upon realizing he was the man. Again as instantly, the Lord God forgives him the agonizing sin that had worked such painful destruction. What he could not undo and would be haunted by in time to come his Lord declared undone by grace, and permanently. (2 Samuel 18:33; Psalm 51:3-12)

“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
    and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” Psalm 32:1-2

There are times deeds done produce indescribable agony and unbearable regret. When we cannot undo what we’ve done or has been done to us, cannot exact justice the way we think deserving or untangle the whys, we can fall on God’s mercy. Christ bore all past, present, and future pain on Calvary, and offers us- the undeserving- His balm. He undid our sin and its fallout by putting its power to death, and in exquisite love applies the forgiveness, cleansing, and peace of reconciliation to us. (Psalm 65:2-4a; Romans 5:1-2,11; 2 Corinthians 7:10)

Do we live in this freedom and joy? What in our beliefs and willingness to extend grace to others indicates full acceptance of Christ’s forgiveness? Claiming we cannot forgive ourselves is a slap in the face to our It is finished Savior. What ‘dones’ need we leave at His cross once for all? How will we go forth differently? (John 19:30)

Father, keep me rejoicing in Your gift of undoing my sin and the hope that one day all regret and struggle will be untrue forever.