2 Samuel 13

Note: Today’s reading mentions some pretty horrific sexual sin which may be particularly sensitive to some readers. When things like this come up in the Bible, we can read them with hope, knowing that God sees victims, He has a plan to restore the pain and tragedy we experience in this world, and we can trust that He is the one who will provide justice for all wrongs. 

James 1:14-15 says, “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” This is exactly what we see in 2 Samuel 13. 

Amnon’s sin is horrendous, and we must remember that he didn’t just wake up and decide to take advantage of his sister. In this story we see love turn to lust, lust turn to hatred and hatred turn to murder. All because Amnon was left to his own imagination, and encouraged by community to pursue his desires. We must not take our sin lightly, we must heed the warning in James 1. If sin is left unchecked, it will bring forth death.

David was guilty of a similar sin when he found himself in adultery with Bathsheba, and the cycle of murder and lust is continued with Amnon and Absalom. As disciple-makers, we must be on high guard when it comes to sin in our lives because, in the same way children watch what their parents do, our disciples are looking to us to learn how to be followers of Jesus. 

When your disciples look at your life, do they see confession and repentance modeled? Are you having hard conversations with your disciples about sin in your lives, and are you making steps to walk together in freedom?

In Christ we have been given freedom from sin. And in community, we are able to filter our thoughts and desires through the word of God. As you go throughout your week, would you find time to be honest and vulnerable with your huddle or grow group about sin in your life and would you trust God to renew your heart and make you more like Him.