The LORD was angry at Israel again, and he made David think it would be a good idea to count the people in Israel & Judah. So David told Joab (his commander)and the army officers, "Go to every tribe in Israel and count everyone who can serve in the army. Joab answered, "I hope the LORD your God will give you a hundred times more soldiers than you already have. I hope you will live to see that day! But why do you want to do a thing like this? After David had everyone counted, he felt guilty and told the LORD, "What I did was stupid and terribly wrong. LORD, please forgive me. Gad (a prophet of God) told David, "You must choose one of three ways for the LORD to punish you: Will there be seven years when the land won't grow enough food for your people? Or will your enemies chase you and make you run from them for three months? Or will there be three days of horrible disease in your land?" David was really frightened and said, "It's a terrible choice to make! But the LORD is kind, and I'd rather have him punish us than for anyone else to do it."
David's great sin was doubting God's strength and provision for him and his people. Joab understood immediately that what he was asking was foolish but the nugget of wisdom that can be taken from the text comes in David's response. He would rather fall into the hands of a compassionate God than into the hands of wicked men. David had indeed failed his faith test, but he was not so far away that he could repent and see that God is good and there is none other.
Daily Prayer: God you are indeed good to me in every way. Some consider blessing an extraordinary act of grace, but they are wrong. You are good to me on the least of my days to the greatest of them. Not only do you give me everything I need to sustain life but you also give me opportunity to join you in your labor. Your grace is foolishness to the world, but to me it is the power of God. In Jesus name I pray Amen.
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