“But one son of Ahimelek son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to join David. He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. Then David said to Abiathar, ‘That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family. Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.’”—1 Samuel 22:20–23 (NIV)

I was seven when Hurricane Andrew hit. Living in Miami, I remember the howling winds and destruction. But what stands out the most is what happened after—the cleanup, the rebuilding, the way the city came together to restore what was lost. Miami didn’t just rebuild; it built differently, stronger, and better prepared for future storms. You can’t undo a hurricane, but you can choose how to move forward.

That’s what we see in 1 Samuel 22—the devastating consequence of David’s actions. When Saul found out what happened, he ordered the slaughter of Ahimelech, eighty-five other priests, and the entire town of Nob—men, women, children, and even animals.

In 1 Samuel 21, David’s lie to Ahimelech may have seemed like a small thing in the moment. He was scared, desperate, and on the run. I’d like to say I would’ve handled it differently, but chances are I would’ve done the same or worse in this situation. Bible commentator John Trapp wrote, “Some go about to excuse David’s lying here: but that cannot be. The consequences of it were very sad . . . and afterward made his soul melt for very heaviness.” 

I’ve heard it said it wasn’t David’s lie that led to their deaths, but just his mere presence there that Doeg relayed. But I don’t believe that’s fully true. Think about it: David could have been honest. He could have given Ahimelech the chance to say, “I can’t help you, David. I’m sorry. And I have to alert the king that you were here.” Maybe Doeg still would have told Saul David was there, but the priests wouldn’t have been guilty of aiding him, and Saul would have had no excuse for his rage. Or maybe Ahimelech would have helped David regardless. Who knows? But what we do know is this: David’s lie played a role in their deaths. And he admits it: “I am responsible for the death of your whole family.”

There’s no excuse. No justification. Like a category five hurricane, the reality of his sin had real, painful, irreversible consequences.

What’s done was done. It’s the same for us. We can’t go back, right? No time machine, no rewind button. Superman can’t fly around the earth and make it go backwards. (Seriously, what was that about in the first Superman movie?)

Now, for the believer, God’s grace covers all sin—past, present, and future. The cross of Christ means we don’t have to fear God’s wrath upon us for sin. But that doesn’t mean our sin shouldn’t deeply affect us. 

Whenever I did something wrong as a kid, I felt bad because I had disappointed or upset my parents. I love them, wanted to please them, and do right in their eyes. It’s the same with the Lord! As God’s children, we should feel deep conviction over transgressing against our Father, who sent His Son to suffer, bleed, and die for us.

So, the questions we must wrestle with are, “What do we do with the fallout?” and “How do we move forward?” David couldn’t undo the massacre, but he didn’t ignore it, either. He took responsibility. He confessed his guilt. And then, he did the only thing he could—he turned his attention to the need in front of him. Abiathar, the last surviving priest, had nowhere to go. So David welcomed him, protected him, and sought to move forward by doing what was right.

That’s how we respond to the fallout of sin. We must own it—no excuses, no deflection. Call sin what it is. We must repent, knowing He’s always ready to forgive (1 John 1:9) us and allow us to experience His grace wash over us. Then, we must minister to the need in front of us. We can’t undo the damage, but we can choose to do what’s right moving forward, and we must learn from it. 

Just as Miami rebuilt houses and infrastructures differently after Hurricane Andrew, may we allow our experiences, shortcomings, and our falls shape how we walk with God now and beyond. The fallout of sin is real, but so is God’s grace—not just to forgive, but to help us move forward and rebuild. This is what the gospel is all about. He’s able to reconcile, restore, and redeem all things. Praise be to God for His indescribable gift!

Pause: Think about a time when your sin caused consequences you couldn’t undo. How did you respond? Did you try to justify it, ignore it, or own it? What did you learn from that experience?

Practice Confess to God. If there’s something you’ve been making excuses for, bring it before the Lord in honest repentance. Make it right if you can. Have you hurt someone? Do what you can to restore what was broken (Matthew 5:23–24).

Commit to moving forward differently. Like David, focus on honoring God from this moment on.

Pray: Father, I confess that my sin has real consequences, and I don’t want to take that lightly. Thank You for Your grace that forgives, but also transforms. Help me to take responsibility, seek restoration where possible, and move forward in obedience. I don’t want to make excuses—I want to be more like You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.