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Sin often causes innocent people to perish. This is because sin cannot be overlooked. Though David was forgiven for his sin, there was still a cost to pay. In this case, the consequences for David and Bathsheba would manifest upon their child and the Lord would allow it.
We don’t usually think about the collateral damage of our sin. This child would suffer for days until he went to be with the Lord. This was a heavy burden for David, who immediately went into extreme mourning. He fasted and prayed. He wept as he cried out to God for this child. This was the right thing for David to do. He showed genuine remorse for his actions.
Yet, in the end, God didn’t change his mind. David’s son died. Why?
In the next verse, we read something significant…
“Then David got up from the ground. He washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes, went to the LORD’s house, and worshiped. Then he went home and requested something to eat. So they served him food, and he ate.”
2 Samuel 12:20 HCSB
David accepted the Lord’s rebuke. He picked himself up and went to the Lord’s house… to worship. I find this fascinating. It’s just not a common response today. When people suffer tragedy, they pull back. It’s natural to isolate yourself after suffering extreme grief. It’s kind of expected that people will begin to slide in their spiritual journey. Instead, David goes immediately to worship God. He went back into God’s presence with confidence and peace.
I believe David’s time of fasting and praying was not meaningless. It connected Him back to His Father during a time when he had separated the relationship due to sin. It prepared him to accept the reality of God’s decision, and, it confirmed that God was still good despite the steep consequences He would hand down to David. I believe that David began praying for a miracle but, in the process, found a deeper revelation of His Father.
But keep in mind, that commitment from David was a choice. He didn’t harbor resentment or bitterness. He dug into his time with the Lord, accepted what was dealt to him, and worshiped God for being good and faithful.