Love does not Envy: Part 5

The Ultimate Answer for Envy

“Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.” (2 Samuel 11:1)

From the beginning, the story does not bode well for King David. It was the time of year when the kings would lead their armies out into battle, yet King David decided to stay home and send one of his generals instead. David’s place was with his troops. He should have been leading them into battle and seeking the Lord for His strategy and plans for war. Instead, David was at home in his palace with too much time on his hands and too few people around him to hold him accountable.

“Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king's house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance.” (2 Samuel 11:2)

The woman’s name was Bathsheba which literally means, “Woman taking a bath.” Ok, it really does not mean that, but it should. This was not an innocent glance, nor did David quickly turn away once he saw her, but he gazed on her and saw that she was very beautiful. The story goes on to tell how David inquired about her, sent messangers and took her, and laid with her. David’s adultery lead to a pregnancy, and David’s attempt to cover up his sin lead to a murder. More than nine months would pass before God would send the prophet Nathan to rebuke David for his sins. God rebuked David for taking what was not his.

“It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. I also gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.” (2 Samuel 12:7-9)

The ultimate answer to envy is found in God’s statement, “and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things.” God is not a God who delights in withholding from us the things we want. God desires to bless us and to give us the desires of our heart. David, however, instead of going to God with his desires, reached out and took what he wanted. Instead of trusting in God to provide for his needs, David used his kingly position to simply take what he wanted, no matter what the cost to others. If David was lacking, God would have given him more, but David was not content to wait for God, he wanted what he wanted and he took what he wanted.

When we set out to take what we want instead of asking God to give us what we want, we start down a path that leads to strife, anger, and conflicts. James put it this way, “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel.” (James 4:1-2) Many of our quarrels and conflicts have their root in our striving to take what we want to satisfy our lusts. However, James shows us that our problem with envy is quite simple, “You do not have because you do not ask.” (James 4:2) The ultimate answer to envy is to go to God with our needs and desires, to ask God for the things we want and need. Even if we ask amiss, we can trust God to work in our hearts while we are before Him asking, to bring our desires into conformity with His. Jesus wants us to ask, He wants us to come to Him with our requests, and he wants to answer us and give us the desires of our hearts so that our joy may be full.

“Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.” (John 16:24)

David Robison