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You Raise Me Up

Posted by Dion Todd May 20th, 2024 1,830 Views 24 Comments

You Raise Me Up from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

King David woke from an afternoon nap and took a stroll around his balcony one evening. He happened to see a beautiful woman bathing at a nearby house. It was the house of Uriah and Bathsheba. The husband, Uriah, was away serving in the military. Now, David had many wives and concubines, and Solomon had 1,000, but the lusts of the flesh can never be satisfied. Lust is a bottomless pit that will leave you feeling empty. It has to be nailed to the cross. 

David invited Bathsheba to the palace. One thing led to another, and she left pregnant. After she informed David that she was pregnant, David arranged to have her husband Uriah, one of his "mighty men," killed in battle. He ordered his general Joab to put Uriah in the heaviest part of the fighting and withdraw from him (2 Samuel 11). 

After Uriah was killed in action, David took Bathsheba, Uriah's pregnant widow, to the palace to become his wife. To the people, it looked like such a noble act, the king taking care of a soldier's poor widow, but God saw it differently. 

Things were quiet for about one year. Bathsheba gave birth to a son. By all appearances, David had gotten away with it, but your sin will always find you out, and the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to see David. The Lord sees all, and so clearly, it is sobering. 

(2 Samuel 12:1–4 NKJV)  Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: "There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."

(2 Samuel 12:5–7 NKJV)  So David's anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity." Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man!" ...

Can you imagine what David felt? To have the burning conviction of sin wash over him when confronted by the Lord? I can. Believe me, the Lord has no problem talking about things we want covered up. Yet, He will often give us space to repent before the big reveal, hence the one-year silence as if He didn't notice what David had done. He had. Nathan continued:

(2 Samuel 12:7–8 NKJV)  Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!

David was so blessed that he left his son Solomon billions from his personal treasury to build the temple. Yet, the Lord said if that had been too little, He would have given him even more. God has no shortage. You may eat from any tree in the garden, but stay away from the forbidden fruit if you want to prosper. We struggle to trust Him, but imagine His struggle to trust us. 

(2 Samuel 12:9–10 NKJV)  Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'

The Lord said that by taking Uriah's wife, David had despised him. Ouch.

(2 Samuel 12:11–12 NKJV)  Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.' "

David repented, but things had been set in motion, and every single thing the Lord said came to pass. His son Absalom was very charismatic and stole the hearts of the people. It was common for sons to kill their fathers and become king then, and when David was around sixty, Absalom gathered a following and declared himself king. The rebellion began in Hebron, about twenty-five miles away from David's palace in Jerusalem. 

All of David's enemies gathered together, as did the relatives of the previous king, Saul. They cursed David and assumed that God was done with him because of his sin with Bathsheba. The army of people that gathered around Absalom dwarfed the army that remained loyal to David. So David had to flee for his life from his own son, who was on the way to kill him. People cursed at David and threw stones at him.

(2 Samuel 16:5–8 NKJV)  Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: "Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!"

Adam Clark summarized it beautifully:  "Behold a king, the greatest that ever lived, a profound politician, an able general, a brave soldier, a poet of the most sublime genius and character, a prophet of the Most High God, and the deliverer of his country, driven from his dominions by his own son, abandoned by his fickle people."

David's harem was hijacked. They pitched a tent on top of David's palace, and Absalom slept with ten of his father's lovers in front of all of Israel, as the Lord had said: "He shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun."

(2 Samuel 16:21–22 NKJV)  And Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong." So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
It appeared that David was reaping what he had sown. He broke the golden rule and was smashed by the golden hammer. David cried out to the Lord and recorded it in Psalm 3:

(Psalm 3:1–6 NKJV)  LORD, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the LORD with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around.

Absalom was wrong. For though David was being punished for sin, the Lord was not done with David. Sin is not the end. David, with all of his faults, loved the Lord, and love will cover a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). The Lord was merely disciplining David as a Father would a son, but He was not tossing him away (Hebrews 12:6). 

David's men defeated those who were pursuing them. Absalom was slain after his mount ran under an oak tree and his head caught in the branches. Joab finished him off. David was restored as King once again. Never judge someone else's relationship with the Lord. God restored what David had lost, and nearly four hundred years later, you still find the Lord speaking of His servant David that all those others had written off: 

(Jeremiah 33:20–22 NKJV)  "Thus says the LORD: 'If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers. As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.' "

It is never too late to get right, right now. Sin, judgment, and repentance are words that are often ignored these days, but you can be sure that there is nothing outdated about them. Your ways are in full view of the Lord, so be quick to repent. When you fall, get back up. He doesn't throw people away. Sin is not the end, for He will raise you back up. 

You can pray this with me if you like: 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You so much for loving me. Please speak to me in a way that I understand, forgive me for the things I do wrong, draw my heart to You, and fulfill Your will in my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!


Note: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.” (Philippians 4:6-7) ~ If you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network

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Schalk de Beer commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Yes, amen Lord.


Mari Kaufmann commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

I want to feel your presence dear God in my life. In the name of Jesus Amen


Brenda F commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Amen


Sherry Mccosh commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Heavenly Father, thank You so much for loving me. Please speak to me in a way that I understand, forgive me for the things I do wrong, draw my heart to You, and fulfill Your will in my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen


Liesel aka lisa Wardle commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

And, Lord, please take my life, my breath and my entire being and all the skills and gifts You gave me to reach out and bless others so that they may see You!!!

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Sylvia Todd

7 months ago

Amen, sister 🙏!


Liesel aka lisa Wardle commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

AMEN and Amen and Amen!!! Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for all the things that I do wrong, for failing You, especially when I'm exhausted or completely overwhelmed, please continue to draw my heart to You by the power of Your Holy Spirit, and fulfill Your holy will in my life!


Wesley Paulus commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Amen!


Debi Burton commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Thank you for this devotional today for I am nothing without you…… ❤️


Debi Burton commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Heavenly Father, thank You so much for loving me. Please speak to me in a way that I understand, forgive me for the things I do wrong, draw my heart to You, and fulfill Your will in my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen! ❤️


Elouise Essuman commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Thank you O Abba for your mercy and grace through your son Yeshua. Thank you for your loving kindness and tender mercies.
Great devotional this morning.
Amen

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Sylvia Todd

7 months ago

Amen, Elouise, God bless 🙏!


Yvette York commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Amen Good Morning Everyone. Thank You Father For Blessing Me And My Family And Friends And Teaching Us And Correcting Us When We Do wrong Draw Our Hearts And Fulfill Your Will In Our Life

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Sylvia Todd

7 months ago

Good morning, Yvette 🌞!


Lynn Brown commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Thank You Father for Your love, mercy and grace that cover me. Amen.


David Krull commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Amen Father. Forgive me for sinning, the lusts of my flesh. I stumbled at a weak moment and accomplished nothing but sin. My heart is broken as I’m closer to You now than in a longtime. …there is never a reason to sin. Against You alone do I sin. I repent. Mercy Father. I’m ashamed.
But God.. Your mercies are new every morning. Your steadfast love covers me. Your grace is sufficient for me. Wash me white as snow Jesus. Create in me a clean heart oh God, and renew in me a steadfast spirit. I need more of You Jesus, less of me. I’m pushing towards the goal You put before me. Take away any doubt I feel. Help me not go by my feelings but by Your living word. If You think I’m worthy to do the task? Here I am Lord. Forgive me my sins and heal me enough so I can serve You again. Jesus Jesus. I love You. I am nothing without You. Fill me with a double portion of Your Spirit. I want to be effective for You. In Jesus Christ precious Name.


Alicia Ransom commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Love this prayer. Your messages speak to me in a way I understand. I save some many of your prayers and print them. I have them all over and share in unexpected moments that I feel...this one is just right for that situation. You are gifted and I am so glad I "stumbled" across your site. Thank you

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Dion Todd

7 months ago

Thank you for reading and taking a moment to comment, Alicia. I am glad you "stumbled" across us as well!


Linda Clark commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

What a wonderful message praise god for all are blessing


Crystal Redditt commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Dear Lord first giving You honor and praise🙌🏽 I thank you in advance. I know You know my heart and doings so I repent and I pray that You forgive me and send the Holy Spirit to guide me better. I fell short and pray for help throughout my journeys. Help me Lord in Jesus name I pray amen!!


Bella Colliander commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Heavenly Father, so grateful for your forgiveness and please draw my heart to you. In Jesus name, Amen.


Wanda Pennington commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Heavenly Father, thank You so much for loving me. Please speak to me in a way that I understand, forgive me for the things I do wrong, draw my heart to You, and fulfill Your will in my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!


Marisa Jackson commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Amen!!! 🙏


Candy Laventure commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Amen!


Celeste Strenn commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Yes please Lord Jesus, you hold my heart, please keep me close❣️


Kay Collinsworth commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Amen


Dana Rozell commented on Dion Todd's blog post: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

Amen!


Dion Todd added a new video devotional: You Raise Me Up

7 months ago

You Raise Me Up from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. King David woke from an afternoon nap and took a stroll around his balcony one evening. He happened to see a beautiful woman bathing at a nearby house. It was the house of Uriah and Bathsheba. The husband, Uriah, was away serving in the military. Now, David had many wives and concubines,... Read the full post here: You Raise Me Up




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