"Sometimes you have to kill Uriah..."

Quite some time ago, my father and I shared a conversation together regarding the nature of God, man, faith, and repentance. We talk about those types of things a lot. Usually he just kicks back on the coach that sits in my office while I spin around in my big fancy leather chair. I love those conversations. I love reasoning through all the craziness that defines our lives. When we talk, we talk about everything... joys, hurts, trials. Its great.

What about Uriah? Read more!Anyhow, during one of these conversations, we became focused specifically on what causes a man to repent. What is the mysterious thing that brings one to fall on his knees before God in an effort to pour out his heart and soul, asking for forgiveness? Many athiests suggest that man's desire to repent is nothing more than some sort of deep narsicistic tendancy present in all of us. Christian folk will tell you that this desire is evidence of the fallen state of mankind... that we intrinsically KNOW we are messed up. But either way... why does one man repent (express remorse, apologize, and change his ways) and another does not? Is it that the one is more knowledgable, or humble, or obedient to God? ... These were the questions that we were discussing. 'Round and 'round we went. Musing, pondering, arguing, debating... 'twas good stuff.

One of the examples that we got around to was ol' King David and his debauchal of a love affair with Bathsheba. What caused David to repent? It wasn't that he found that he wasn't satisfied with his new lover or that he was convicted in his heart to change (yes yes, I know the Holy Spirit hadn't been emparted yet...). Rather, it took the dramatic event of a brutal prophecy and the taking of his son's life before David came to his senses and took responsibility for all that he had done.

The conversation with my dad then took a new turn. I wondered out loud if maybe God had been trying to teach a lesson to David long before the whole Bathsheba incident. Maybe David refused to learn that lesson, or maybe he couldn't! Maybe God said ok then... have it your way... and gave David what he desired: horrible murderous consequence and all. Eventually, that lead to the death of David's son. After the son died, David repented and turn to God again. I mused that maybe, in some strange way, all of that was necessary to happen so that David would come to know God more fully. Which ultimately lead to my now oft-referred to quote, "You know... sometimes you have to kill Uriah" (in order to progress your faith).

My dad laughed out loud (yes, a proverbial LOL event). More atme than with me. Kind of a "My boy, you are really messed up in your head" type of laugh.

Quasi-logical... and yet totally demented, no?

Pity me. Please.