Name him Jedidiah (4th Day 45)

Because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. (2 Samuel 12:25)

Jedidiah means loved by the LORD. Jedidiah is the name the LORD told Nathan to give the child named Solomon, the future king of Israel. Solomon was the second child and first surviving son of David and Bathsheba. He would grow up to become king of Israel and considered the wisest man on earth, with wealth beyond imagination. I like the name Jedidiah; it's a good name.

I discovered this as I was reading about David, specifically David and Bathsheba. It's a sad and troubling story, but one that makes you wonder. David's temptation led to destruction--the destruction of loyal friendship, a trusted servant, a marriage, and a life. I wrote before about temptation leading to destruction, while testing leading to strength, but it came back to me in the story of David and Bathsheba. I wonder if David was ever truly happy after that. Certainly his guilt went with him. Psalm 51 is David's cry to the Lord for forgiveness and you can feel the anguish in the words:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

David repented and God did bless him with another son, Solomon, Jedidiah, loved by the LORD. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

As you journey on your 4th Day, take time to confess your sins to God. It's hard to do sometimes, but confession leads to repentance, and repentance leads to forgiveness, forgiveness of ourselves. God's love is unconditional and is not dependent on our efforts. But we are not God and need the confession to forgive ourselves.

De Colores,
Bill
WV88