One of the most beautiful stories of the scriptures is the prodigal son, the youth who left home, got into deep difficulty, wasted his life in rebellious living, and ended up in the pig pen/dirty place.
Dr. J. Vernon McGee once asked, do you know the difference between the son in the pig pen and the pig?
The difference is that no pig could ever say to himself, “I will arise and go to my father”.
For us whenever how many times we fell into sin, or go astray, God is willing to bring us back in the track to continue the Christian walk. The main point, be blameless and repent quickly.
Listen to your conscience – a sense of right and wrong not seared, insensitive and callous.
Read 1 Chronicles 21.
David, tempted by Satan forces Joab to numbered the people. So, notice carefully the words, “The anger of the Lord was against Israel”. Why was it wrong to take census? God desired that in Israel, a census should only be taken if it was commanded by God because the concept was strong that you were only to count what you owned, and Israel belongs to God, not to David.
Proverbs 29:23 A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
Jeremiah 17:5 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trust in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord”
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Conclusion: Although severely discipline again, even at the end of his life, David is still to be exalted by the Lord and acknowledged throughout history as one of the very greatest of all men ever lived. Why? Because he had a heart after God. Do you?