Connect Series: Connect by Picking Up the Pieces (Part 3)

In our relationship series, Connect, we are looking at the lives of Bible couples and the issues they dealt with. This week, we look at the marriage of David and Bathsheba who learned to pick up the pieces of their lives. In this post, we'll look at what the punishment David and Bathsheba faced. And the way God used their lives, and their future, for His glory.

David faced a four-fold punishment as outlined by the prophet Nathan in II Samuel 12:
1. The "sword shall never depart from you"- v. 10
David's sons Amnon (II Samuel 13) and Absalom (II Samuel 18) would both eventually die.

2. "I will raise up adversity against you from your own house"- v. 11
David's son Amnon sexually assaulted David's daughter Tamar (II Samuel 13).

3. "I will take your wives before your eyes"- v. 11
David's son Absalom was later involved sexually with some of David's other wives (II Samuel 16)

4. "The child also who is born to you"- v. 14
The child who was to be born to David and Bathsheba would die (II Samuel 12).

How'd it end? Bathsheba became David's last and most honored wife. David and Bathsheba had additional children. She was a good mother to Solomon, a future son, later helping him protect his throne. Solomon's family line extends to Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus (Matthew 1). Another future son was Nathan. His family line extends to Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 3).

From the midst of horrendous sin and circumstances, God brought forth good.

In their book, "How to Build a Lasting Marriage", Elmer and Ruth Towns offer some ways in which couples can pick up the pieces and move forward (page 136, 139):
Confess it- Seek God's forgiveness
Forsake it- Forgive each other
Leave it in the past- Forgive yourself

And some final thoughts (page 139, 140):
Both David and Bathsheba knew better.
Their sin wasn't just against their marriage partner- it was against God.
It's possible to do right, even after a bad beginning.
Outward circumstances are not enough to keep a person from giving into temptation.

Book Review: Enemies of the Heart by Andy Stanley

Andy Stanley helps the reader simplify a majority of issues in life with his book Enemies of the Heart: Breaking Free from the Four Emotions That Control You. He narrows the problems that trouble individuals down to four main issues: guilt, anger, greed and jealousy.

Stanley characterizes each of "enemies of the heart" as an issue of a debt being owed:
Guilt: I Owe You
Anger: You Owe Me
Greed: I Owe Me
Jealousy: God Owes Me
With each "enemy" Stanley lists, he also compiles a section for confronting each "enemy".

Stanley is known as a great communicator, and maybe that is more apparent in his speaking than in his writing, but I found this passage to be very impactful. From page 148 in a chapter titled, "The Power of Generosity":

"In the past, when you didn't have enough, were you hesitant to question God about your lack? You probably didn't hesitate at all. You let Him know immediately that you were in need. And if you're like me, you let Him know that you expected Him to provide for you. And when He came through, what did you do? You thanked Him. You may even have shared your story with a few folks. So now that you are on the other side, with more than enough, why don't you question God about that?"

This book took me a while to get through. It was a good read but not a book that captivated my attention to the point that I read it rapidly.

Great Quote Thursday

Disciples cannot be mass-produced. Disciples are handmade, one relationship at a time- David Kinnaman (You Lost Me, page 13).

You Can't Measure Heart

Today was a big day for our family. Our youngest son, Turner, started kindergarten.  No big deal you say. A rite of passage for all children. But God has been gracious to Turner and, for us, today was so much more.

See, when Turner was born, he had a double hernia that required surgery when he was 13 weeks old. But by the grace of God, he's overcome that.

Turner could not say "Mama" or "Daddy" until he was almost 2 years old. His speech development was significantly delayed. But after almost 3 years of speech therapy, both in private sessions and at our elementary school, by the grace of God, he's overcome that.

When Turner was two and a half, he was diagnosed with Legg-Perthes Disease, meaning he had developed a fracture to his femur due to an unexplained temporary loss of blood flow to that area. But with physical therapy and periodic monitoring, by the grace of God, he's overcome that.

Last fall, just as he was learning to write, Turner broke his right arm in an accident at a local bounce house. He wrote left-handed for a little while. But now he's quite the right-hander. Writes fairly well now. And, though that was a short-term setback at a crucial period of development, by the grace of God, he's overcome that.

Here's The Point: God has been gracious to Turner. He's not frail or weak. In fact, he's healthy and solid and strong, powerfully strong. He plays soccer and is a fast runner.  He speaks now at his grade level and currently no longer qualifies for speech therapy. And he's starting kindergarten on-time. On-time.

Because you can't measure heart. And Turner has a great big beautiful heart.

Fun on Friday- More Parkerisms and Turnerisms

Raising two sons, 8 and 5, means we have lots of fun conversations in our home. Here are some more:

Parker: Daddy, did they have electricity when you were born?
Me: Yes, it was developed in the mid-1960's so it was really working well by the time I was born.

At lunch one day this week:
Turner: What is that brown stuff that you can put marshmallows in?
Tonya: Hot chocolate?
Turner: Yea, that's it. Can I have some?
Tonya: Not when it's 85 degrees.

While watching some highlights of a recent baseball game:
Parker: What happened in this game?
Me: The pitcher was using an illegal substance and got ejected from the game.
Parker: What's an illegal substance?
Me: Have you ever heard of a spitball pitcher?
Parker: You mean like in the dead ball era?
Me: Um, yea.

At lunch one day this week:
Turner: You know what would be cool?
Me: What's that?
Turner: If they built an aquarium and a church in the same building.
Me: What do you mean?
Turner: So if people had time at church they could just go through the aquarium.

Great Quote Thursday

Over and over the Bible speaks of confession, not in terms of conscience relief, but in terms of life change. Never is confession offered as a substitute for repentance. It's but a first step toward repentance- Andy Stanley (Enemies of the Heart, page 99).

Fun on Friday- More Parkerisms and Turnerisms

Raising two sons, 8 and 5, means we have lots of fun conversations in our home. Here are some more:

While watching gymnastics (pommel horse competition) during the London Olympics-
Turner: The easier way would be for them to just sit on there.

While watching gymnastics (floor exercise competition) during the London Olympics-
Turner: That's easy. There's nothing on the floor and they're just running around and dancing.

While riding a boogie board in the ocean on a recent vacation-
Parker: Is there a boogie board competition at the Olympics?

While playing miniature golf one evening while on vacation-
Parker: Yes! That's a hole-in-one....on my second try.

Great Quote Thursday

You don't win a campaign in one battle. You win a campaign by sticking ever lastingly at it, with the kind of attitude that is the attitude of a victor- Dwight Eisenhower

Book Review: Grant by Mitchell Yockelson

Over the course of the past several years, I have become quite interested in the life and Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. When this new biography by Mitchell Yockelson became available from Thomas Nelson, I quickly requested it.

This brief biography of Grant is quite readable and provides a broad sketch of Grant's life. However, it is so short that it neglects to cover many details of Grant's life. There is little information about Grant's marriage to his wife Julia or about his children or the type of father Grant was. It gives only slight treatment to Grant's life after the Civil War, to Grant's Presidency or his post-Presidency years.

It does go into considerable detail with regard to various battles during the Civil War but much of the information on the war is generic in nature and not specific, not detailed, with specifics regarding Grant's involvement.

If you know little about Grant's life, this book might suffice in providing a basis for future interest. However, there is a lack of depth to the book that left me wanting more.