With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26 NIV)

 

Nathan was given a hard job in II Samuel 12.  He was told to confront the king of Israel – the most powerful man in the country.  The man who had the freedom to stay home when others went off to war, the power to sleep with another man’s wife, and the means to kill anyone who messed with his plans.

The events of II Samuel 11 make David sound more like a mob boss than a man after God’s heart.

In my Bible, this passage is entitled: Nathan Rebukes David. The assignment to rebuke the king of Israel is not just a hard job or a daunting job.  It is a knee-knocking-quaking-in-your-sandals job. A job too big for any single individual.

But the title added by the NIV folks doesn’t seem to consider the first four words of II Samuel 12:

The Lord sent Nathan…

God always, always, always equips for what He calls.

God always, always, always equips for what He calls. Click To Tweet

He sent Nathan and He equipped Nathan with a plan,  God Himself gave Nathan the perfect analogy to speak, so David would listen, and to teach, so David would learn.

God knew David.  He knew his heart.  He knew what made him tick and he knew what would tick him off. He knew that a story of a beloved sheep, tenderly cared for but cruelly torn away by a greedy, power-tripping rich man would resonate—would touch the soft place in the heart of the shepherd-boy-turned-king.

And He was right.

The sheep parable brought an extreme response from David: first one of anger, and then one of humility and repentance.

We’ve been there. 

And many of us can quickly go right back there. Back to that place of shame, guilt, embarrassment. That what-have-I-done place. That how-can-I-ever-make-this-right place.

David recognized what all of us must recognize: our sin is not against another human person, though we may have wronged them with our actions. Our sin is ultimately against God Himself. 

Jonathan Edwards said, “The greatness of an offense is determined by the greatness of the one offended.”

Our sin, like David’s sin, is against God.

Thankfully, conviction of sin—the place of self-loathing, shame, and heaviness—is not where God wants to leave us. The conviction prompts confession, and then God provides redemption and restoration.

Nathan replied to David, The LORD has taken away your sin.

Parenting is hard work.  It’s a daunting job. Some days it’s an overwhelming job. And every day, it’s a job that requires the equipping of the Lord.

I believe God loves you and me just as much as He loved Nathan.  I believe He loves our children just as much as He loved David. I believe He will provide for us just as He provided for Nathan.  He will give us those analogies, parables, and teachable moments that allow us to speak so our children will listen, and teach so they will learn.

Hard job? Yes, please!

A job too difficult for me? Bring it!

If I’m only willing to take on a job I can accomplish on my own, I will never experience the power of the Holy Spirit. I want a job that is impossible, overwhelming, and daunting—one that requires divine reinforcement.

If I’m only willing to take on a job I can accomplish on my own, I will never experience the power of the Holy Spirit. I want a job that is impossible, overwhelming, and daunting—one that requires divine reinforcement. Click To Tweet

That pretty much sums up parenting.

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26 NIV)

Just ask Nathan.