Pr. 28:26: “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.”
I recall some decisions that David, the king of Israel, made in the spring season when kings would go out to battle. He chose to stay home that spring, sending his servants and soldiers on without him. One night, with nothing better to do, he strolled up onto the roof of his house. 2 Sam. 11:2 says, “And he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.”
This is the moment when David had a decision to make. Do I listen to and act upon the feelings and desires of my heart or do I use wisdom? We know that David trusted in his heart this time. He could have turned away and walked back inside. If that didn’t completely satisfy, he could have prayed and gotten his mind on the Lord. He could have even decided to prepare to go meet his army in order to keep busy. Instead he inquired about her, sent for her, and the rest is history. Trusting in his heart not only led to lust, but also to adultery.
Instead of repenting and asking for God’s wisdom, after being informed that Bathsheba had become pregnant that night, David continued to follow his heart and act foolishly.
David, the one that God referred to as a man after His own heart, proved the truth in Jer. 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” No matter how much we love the Lord and how much we walk with Him, the moments when we decide to be led by our hearts instead of His wisdom, we are being led astray by a deceitful and desperately wicked thing.
David isn’t the only one in history to sin. It can be easy to look back on someone else’s mistakes and pridefully wonder why they’d make such poor decisions; however, we all fall prey to sin. The best thing we can do is take notes to remind ourselves not to make the same mistakes. Let’s learn from David’s mistakes and trust that when we walk in God’s wisdom we will be delivered.
How can we believe that would happen? Because the Bible tells us so. It is impossible for God to lie. If He said it, He will do it. If David had cried out to the Lord at any point during his journey from lust to murder, God would have given him wisdom and help. How do I know? He had done it countless times before. God had already delivered David from lions, giants, and other kings. If He did it once, He could do it again.
How many times has God delivered you? Next time you’re faced with temptation, don’t follow your heart. Recall the times you’ve been delivered through His power and faithfulness, and then call upon Him. He is the same God, and He will not leave you now.
Calling on Him,
jamie
considering the word 