THE GREAT COVER-UP: Guilt and forgiveness.

     But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord. And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. [2] The rich man had very many flocks and herds, [3] but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. [4] Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." [5] Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, [6] and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity." [7] Nathan said to David, "You are the man!     2 Samuel 11:27-12:7

     David knows!  He knows he has done wrong, and yet he tries to cover it up.  He thinks he is home free.  We understand this.  We know how it is.  Why this goes all the way back to Adam and Eve--the first two who "covered up."  Genesis 3:7-8 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. [8] And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
    When will we learn.  Nothing is HIDDEN from God.  He knows our thoughts, our words, our deeds, even before they spring up within us and come forth out of us.  We can't "cover up" what we have done, or left undone, and hide it.  God knows!  But we try, oh how we try!
     You have heard the saying, "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when 1st we practice to deceive."  There is much truth to that statement.  And just as it is true, so is it true that the more we try to cover up our sins, the deeper and deeper the hole that we dig for ourselves, and quite possibly-the more people we hurt in the process.
     But we do not have to try the GREAT COVER UP, because Christ Jesus Himself clothes us in His own righteousness, effectively covering our sin-all of it. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness.... Isaiah 61:10 
     David was jolted by just 4 three-letter words, "YOU ARE THE MAN."  When we are confronted with our own sins, may we turn to the Lord, who IS gracious and merciful, and REPENT of our sins and be coverd up in Christ's own righteousness!
Thanks for reading and God bless your day today!