‘Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”’ (1 Chronicles 21:13 ESV).
When David sinned against the Lord by calling for a census of Israel, the prophet Gad brought a word of warning to him from the Lord. God was going to judge Israel because of David’s sin, but He allowed David to choose from three possible judgments. David chose to put Israel in God’s hand. He repented of his sin and entrusted himself to God’s righteous judgment and great mercy.
The fact that the Lord gave David a choice in His judgment seems a strange part of the story. Since when does a judge let the convicted choose his sentence? Or when does God give such a choice?
Yet the Word of the Lord offers such a choice to us today. We may choose to stand on our own human merits and receive the due judgment for our sin. Or we may choose the mercy of God by repenting of our sin and believing on Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of God, as Lord and Savior.
Choose God’s great mercy.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we confess our sin. For we are tempted to depend on men and numbers rather than God, just as David did. Lord forgive us according to Your great mercy in Christ Jesus. Teach us to depend on You alone. In Jesus’ name, amen.