"In the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time"

“And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.” (2 Samuel 11:1)

 Have you ever heard the saying, “In the wrong place at the wrong time”? We often find ourselves in trouble simply because we are “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

 In this passage, we find David in exactly that situation. He has been anointed King of Israel, and according to the verse, he is supposed to lead his army into battle. Instead, David stays home, putting himself “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” What follows will disrupt David's life forever.

 As we continue reading in 2 Samuel, David commits adultery with Bathsheba, who then becomes pregnant. In an attempt to cover his sin, David brings Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, back from the battlefield and tries to get him to sleep with her. Uriah refuses, insisting that he should be on the battlefield. David then gets Uriah drunk, hoping to persuade him, but Uriah still does not go to his wife. In a desperate move, David sends a letter back to the battlefield with Uriah, instructing the commander to place Uriah on the front lines where he will be killed, and that is indeed what happens.

 David was the king of Israel and loved the Lord, but this story demonstrates how easily we can fall into trouble if we find ourselves “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” May we pray that God will always guide us to the right place and that we will be diligent in staying there!