1 Chronicles 21:13-17: a reflection

13David said to Gad, “I am in distress. Let me fall, I pray, into the LORD’s hand, for his mercies are very great. Don’t let me fall into man’s hand.” 14So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell. 15God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was about to destroy, the LORD saw, and he relented of the disaster, and said to the destroying angel, “It is enough. Now withdraw your hand.” the LORD’s angel was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 16David lifted up his eyes, and saw the LORD’s angel standing between earth and the sky, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. 17David said to God, “Isn’t it I who commanded the people to be counted? It is even I who have sinned and done very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O LORD my God, be against me and against my father’s house; but not against your people, that they should be plagued.”

David has sinned in numbering the people, and a plague falls on Israel as a consequence. And as David sees the people suffering for his sin, his heart cries out with a remarkable plea. It is I who have sinned, he says; but these sheep, what have they done? Let your hand be against me and against my father's house, but not against your people. David owns his sin fully, and pleads that its consequence fall on him, not on the people who suffer for it. He would bear the cost himself rather than see them suffer.

Notice David's response as his people suffer for his sin: he owns it fully and pleads to bear the cost himself. He does not make excuses, or let the people bear the blame; he takes full responsibility, it is I who have sinned, and pleads that the consequence fall on him rather than on them. His was a shepherd's heart, grieved that others suffered for his sin, willing to bear the cost himself to spare them. He interceded for the people, offering himself.

That response, of owning our sin and its cost to others, and interceding for them, is worth taking to heart. Our sin often affects others, who suffer for what we have done; and we can be tempted to make excuses, or let others bear the blame, rather than owning it fully. But David owned his sin fully, grieved that others suffered for it, and pleaded to bear the cost himself. When your sin has affected others, do not make excuses or shift the blame; own it fully, as David did, grieving that others have suffered for it, and intercede for them, willing to bear the cost yourself rather than see them harmed. A heart that owns its sin and its cost to others, and intercedes for them rather than shifting the blame, is a heart shaped by love. Own your sin fully, as David owned his; and where others suffer for it, intercede for them and be willing to bear the cost yourself, as David pleaded, let it be against me, not the sheep.

Lord, David had sinned in numbering the people, and as a plague fell and he saw the people suffering for his sin, his heart cried out: it is I who have sinned; but these sheep, what have they done? Let your hand be against me, but not against your people. He owned his sin fully and pleaded to bear the cost himself rather than see them suffer. Show me his response, and let it shape mine. My sin often affects others, who suffer for what I have done; and I can be tempted to make excuses, or let others bear the blame, rather than owning it fully. But David owned his sin fully, grieved that others suffered for it, and pleaded to bear the cost himself. When my sin has affected others, keep me from making excuses or shifting the blame; help me own it fully, as David did, grieving that others have suffered for it, and intercede for them, willing to bear the cost myself rather than see them harmed. A heart that owns its sin and its cost to others, and intercedes for them rather than shifting the blame, is a heart shaped by love. Help me own my sin fully, Lord, as David owned his; and where others suffer for it, help me intercede for them and be willing to bear the cost myself, as David pleaded, let it be against me, not the sheep.