by: Keith Phemister
2 Samuel 12:13-20, “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.”
In every person’s life, sooner or maybe later, but definitely sometime – there will come what I like to call “An Uh-Oh Moment”! “What in the world is an uh-oh moment,” you ask? Well, that moment is when you come to a crossroads at an extremely difficult time in your life. Uh-oh defined means an expression of alarm, dismay or even to realize a difficulty. Let me illustrate some possible scenarios for you:
1. You leave the room for a few minutes while your 2 year old toddler is armed with an innocent paint brush. Why, he is having a blast painting by numbers (even though he has no idea what the numbers mean). You open the door, anxious to see his masterpiece while you have been away for a few… What are the words you form with your mouth as you gaze upon the newly decorated walls? Can you say, Uh-Oh!
2. A little six year old daughter wanders outside with you as you gaze upon the winter wonderland that has just been delivered from the skies above. Heavy snow has hit the area. The trees are glistening and a beautiful forest has been transformed. Your child wanders a bit, and then it happens! A branch from about 30 ft. up breaks and makes its way downward at an alarming, lightning speed. The child just happens to be in the direct path of the deadly missile. The child is ultimately killed from the impact of the branch. Can we see that this would necessitate an Uh-Oh moment?
David had committed some of the most horrible sins one could commit. Nathan, sent by God, confronted him, and as only God could do, He showed him his sins. Although David could have been the one to die, God spared him but promised that his child would die. His child was stricken and the Uh-Oh moment was before that great champion of God. What did he do? What would you do? That is the question for this moment in which David encountered.
The Bible says that David fasted and prayed for 7 days, not knowing if a gracious God would show forth grace to him in his moment of need.
Can I just say that these Uh-oh moments are defining moments in the life of us all. They, in some instances, bring the most hardened believers to their knees and quite possibly to their knees for the last time. It is at this time that the believer will come to a crossroads in their life. Why? Why, you ask? Quite simply, when God chooses to be silent during these critical times in our lives, these alarming times – and it is possible He will be silent – at these times we may walk away perceiving God doesn’t care or even (gulp!) that there is no God.
You look up to God as David did and pray. You get so wrapped up in the moment and the urgency–that minutes become hours, and hours become days and days turn into quite possibly weeks or months. “Where are you God?” “Where is the God of Elijah?” “God, I need you, please…”
And…. God… is… silent. Nothing, or so you perceive. It is at this moment that you and I learn to trust Him or we could quite possibly be in a mess spiritually for a long time. I have seen it as a pastor. Perhaps…
- There is a death in the family
- You are in the midst of a tragic financial reversal
- A rebellious son/daughter goes their separate way
- Divorce hits
- A loss of job hits
- A custody battle ensues
It was Job who understood the silence when he said, “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him…”
May I quickly share with you 4 areas of your life that should be in order when these Uh-oh moments come?
1. Make sure you are pure from sin. Psalm 66:8 – “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” I want to be able during my Uh-Oh moment to go to the Lord as Hezekiah did. I want my sin to be confessed, my life to be a good testimony and walking in obedience to His commandments. Remember what happened when Isaiah came to Hezekiah and told him to get his house in order – that he would die? 2 Kings 20:2-3 “Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.”
Let me tell you something, if I may do so in kindness. The pastor can pray and the church can pray, but when you come to that Uh-Oh moment, you are the one who needs to touch Heaven’s door. Do right! Live right!
2. Live a fruitful life! God wants us to take care of his business and he will take care of ours. Listen to our Lord in John 15:16 – “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
Yes sirree, God has ordained all of us, not just the God-called pastor. We are to go and be fruitful Christians, meaning we are to go out and tell others about the amazing grace found in the Gospel. We are to make converts. We don’t want to be found wanting in this area of our life when the Uh-oh moment comes.
3. Hear the Word! Proverbs 28:9 says, “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” I would not want to seem harsh, but why would God want to hear us if we disregard Bible reading, Bible Study or faithful Church attendance? We turn a deaf ear to his voice when He speaks and then marvel at our God when He turns deaf to our voice. Then, when He is silent, we become bitter and disillusioned. It would seem to me that many of our own Uh-oh moments are made because we do indeed turn a deaf ear to the Word of God.
4. We better have forgiven our fellow man! Matthew 6:15 tells us, “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” We sure better be right with those around us if we want God during these crossroad moments.
Ted Turner, of cable television fame – owner of TNT and TBS – was given an award by the American Humanist Association. Mr. Turner told the story of how at one time he considered becoming a missionary. He even declared that he was saved 7 or 8 times. Then, it happened – the Uh-Oh moment that happened to David. His sister became gravely ill and after praying, she died. Sadly, Mr. Turner turned away from God and now wants nothing to do with him. “If that’s the type of God He is, I want nothing to do with Him,” he said.
When our Uh-oh moment comes, and it will or it has, let’s do what David did in 2 Samuel 12:20, “Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped….”
All over America, and yes, even the world – there are gathered individuals who will be defined by Uh-Oh moments. There are some who sit in our pews who have come out on top of these moments and are in the House of the Lord, still worshipping their Heavenly Father. Praise God for those precious and strong individuals. However, there are also some dear people who have had those defining moments as well, and the outcome is far different. They are missing from our churches! They are part of a much too large mass of embittered souls whom, when God has been silent, they decided to speak. They have spoken, allowing their lives to influence others to walk away from God. Everything was fine in their life (or was it?), until the Uh-Oh moment called.
Dear friend, I do pray that God would find you as David when the defining moment in your life comes. Remember, God is good all the time! My daughter’s favorite verse is applicable here – Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding…”
Keith Phemister
Pastor
Lighthouse Baptist Church
Hudson, NH