The Dating Game and Falling Into Mercy

Text: 1 Chronicles 21:1-30

“I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” —1 Chronicles 21:13

The Dating Game was a TV show that initially aired in the 1960s. It can be remembered as one of the longest running “reality” shows of all time, and the pioneer of its own genre. As a kid, I didn’t watch for the romance, but for the comedy. In its original format, a bachelorette would question three bachelors, who were hidden from her view, to try and determine which contestant would be the most suitable for a date. Sometimes the decision would be easy and other times it would be more difficult. But ultimately, whether or not the bachelorette regretted the outcome came down to the choice she made.

In today’s passage, we see that David was “incited” by Satan to number Israel, something that displeased the Lord greatly. As a result of David’s sin, the Lord offered him three choices, or three potential outcomes: three years of famine, three months of fleeing his enemies, or three days of the pestilence (the sword of the Lord). David said, “I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

David had failed God but the Lord was very kind to the king in giving him a choice in the consequences. Which outcome would be more suitable for David? It wasn’t that hard of a decision. The basis of that decision was that it is better to fall into the hand of God than the hand man. God is merciful while humans can be merciless.

Regarding the consequences of sin and the outcome of our failures, God has graciously given us the option of falling into His mercy. Through the blood that Jesus spilled on the cross, atonement for our sins has been made and our redemption has been paid for in full. This is God’s doing on account of His love and kindness toward us. It’s that same love and kindness that should lead us to repentance—to confess our sins and to fall humbly into the hands of our Savior.

There are many different bachelors with whom we might choose to run. For example, the bachelor of denial tells us that our sin isn’t that bad, just to ignore our moral conscience and move on. The bachelor of self-help coaches us to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps and to “better” ourselves with our own effort, brushing aside any need for atonement. But the bachelor of Proverbs 28:13 reminds us, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

When David messed up, he knew exactly where to fall—into the hands of a merciful God. Just the fact that David was given a choice shows the abundance of God’s grace and the greatness of His mercy, or “misericordia” (Italian makes everything sound better!). The next time you mess up, may you fall helplessly into the merciful hand of God, choose repentance over denial, and choose Jesus over self. You will never live to regret that outcome! Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, You are rich in mercy and full of grace. The fact that you offer kindness to undeserving sinners speaks volumes of Who you are. Thank you for loving a sinner like me, and for giving me a choice to fall in the hands of a merciful Savior rather than be doomed by my own demise. Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins and offering me new life through that atonement. In your blessed name I pray, Amen.

Questions for application or group discussion:

What is one lesson you’ve learned the hard way?
What caused David to take a census of his fighting men? (1 Chronicles 21:1-2) Who tried to stop David from taking a census? (v. 3) What did David do when he realized his mistake? (v. 8)
What choices did God give David? (vv. 9-12) What punishment did David choose? Why? (v. 13)
Just as David refused to listen to Joab, what causes us not to heed the warning of friends, parents, and leaders about unwise decisions we are considering?
What might you need to confess right now to fall into God’s mercy? What lesson that you’ve learned from failure or defeat do you want to share with others?

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