2 Samuel 12

In 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan confronts King David about his sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah, which David attempted to hide. God, who never acts without revealing His will to His prophets (Amos 3:7), disclosed David’s secret sins to Nathan. Nathan used a parable about a rich man stealing a poor man’s lamb to expose David’s guilt, leading David to condemn himself unknowingly. When Nathan declared, “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7), David was confronted with his wrongdoing. Child of God it is the nature of humanity to hide sins from God, or anything that don't seem right that we have done because we feel shameful, we feel unworthy hence the easiest solution will be to hide it from everyone. God is omnipresent, which means He is all knowing, with nothing hidden from Him, as He is light with no darkness (1 John 1:5). Confession is then not about informing God of unknown sins but acknowledging our wrongs, demonstrating spiritual humility, and coming to terms with our weaknesses and looking unto him for help. You see, confession is not about informing God of a sin He doesn't know about. Truly child of God, HE does know about it. 100%. It's about acknowledging one's own wrongdoing before God, which is a demonstration of the heart's disposition to God, an act of spiritual humility. When David confessed, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13), God forgave him, but the consequences of his sin remained, the child born to Bathsheba died, and turmoil plagued David’s household.

In David’s time, God’s judgment was direct and consequential. However, through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, believers are spared the ultimate consequences of sin. Christ bore our shame and guilt, allowing us to seek forgiveness by acknowledging our wrongs and relying on His blood for redemption (Romans 3:23–24). As God’s Word encourages boasting in weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9), we should bring our sins before God for mercy rather than hiding them.

The story of the woman at the well (John 4) shows this, as Jesus revealed her past, and she openly shared her testimony, drawing others to Christ. If we confess our sin He will forgive us, and our story be become a testimony that will minister to others.

David prayed for mercy to save his child but accepted God’s will when the child died, demonstrating faith and resilience (2 Samuel 12:15–23). Instead of hiding our sins, we should confess, seek forgiveness, and trust in God’s grace, using our experiences to testify to His mercy and move forward in faith.

REFLECTION

Child of God tell me, why do we, like David, often try to hide our sins from God, knowing He is all knowing? What fears or motivations drive this behaviour, and how can recognizing God’s omniscience change our approach to confession?

Is there anything that we need to bring before God?

He loves us and is willing to save us from those hidden sins and shame in Jesus Name, Amen.