Might-have-been blessings

God is forgiving, but we do not want to presume on that and live sloppily. The reason is primarily because we do not want to grieve God’s Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), but it is also so that we will not forfeit any blessings.

In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Lucy opens a magic book, and happens upon a page where she hears her good friend Marjorie gossip about her. Aslan appears and tells her it is just as wrong to eavesdrop by magic as in person. Lest Lucy conclude that Marjorie hates her, Aslan tells Lucy that Marjorie is weak but does love her. Lucy replies that she will not be able to forget what she heard. Alsan tells her that no one is allowed to know what would have happened if they had made another choice.

That, of course, is maddening. But it also keeps us from going mad. It would be too painful to see a panoramic movie of the good things we have forfeited by sinful choices, by holding on to idols instead of God. It is enough to know the wonderful things God has given us in spite of our sins. He has been so good to me in turning my rebellious detours into blessings that I cannot imagine how much better the blessings of a persistently holy life would have been.

King David was a man after God’s own heart. But his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah came with a very big price tag. The rest of the book of 2 Samuel after chapter 11 is one heartbreak after another for David—the death of his infant by Bathsheba (chapter 12), the rape of his daughter Tamar and death of his son Amnon at the hand of Tamar’s brother Absalom (chapter 13), the attempted usurpation by Absalom and the young prince’s subsequent death (chapters 15-19), constant warfare in his household and a widening rift between the northern and southern tribes.

After the Bathsheba affair, God reminded David of all that He had done for him. Then He added these chilling words: “… And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!” (2 Samuel 12:8, NKJV)

God always forgives when we come to Him in repentance. But let us live in such as was as not to forfeit a single blessing that He is eager to bestow.