“In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.”—2 Samuel 11:1 (NIV)

Did you know that when a ship’s just one degree off course over the length of its journey, it’ll end up miles away from its destination? I read somewhere that if a plane takes off from Los Angeles Airport and is just one degree off course, it’ll miss New York City by over 40 miles! This teaches us that the slow drift is actually the most dangerous. 

Chances are, you’re not planning to walk off a cliff. You may even be miles away from the cliff. But when you progressively and consistently move the boundary ropes an inch or two, eventually you’ll find yourself standing at the edge—and that’s actually what we see here in David’s life.

2 Samuel 11 begins with haunting simplicity: where kings went off to war, but David remained in Jerusalem. It sounds harmless, right? No. Sadly, this was the edge of the cliff. You may be thinking, “How was this a subtle drift? He did one thing: He didn’t go to war when he was supposed to. Isn’t this more of a “wrong place, wrong time” moment? Where’s the drift?”

Well friends, the story of David and Bathsheba didn’t start here. It actually started 20+ years earlier. In 1 Samuel 18, we see David marry his first wife—Saul’s daughter, Michal. But then things in his life took a turn as Saul turned against him. 

In his time on the run, David nearly murders a jerk named Nabal in a rage, forgetting that vengeance belongs only to the Lord (1 Samuel 25). And though he was spared of this massive cliff by the wisdom and humility of Nabal’s wife Abigail, he later takes her as another wife after Nabal died—another notch in what would become a long pattern of indulgence and compromise. In total, David is recorded as having eight wives (Michal, Abigail, Ahinoam, Jezreel, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah, and finally Bathsheba), not to mention a harem of concubines.

You see, sin doesn’t usually leap out of nowhere. It grows in the shadows as we let our guard down, as we drift from our responsibilities, as we stop showing up to the battle we’re meant to fight. This is where the enemy sets little traps, but he’s patient. He doesn’t mind waiting decades before setting the big trap. 

This is how compromise works. It’s not immediate destruction, it’s a subtle drift: neglecting prayer and time in the Word, withdrawing from godly community, nursing secret “harmless” sin, justifying emotional indulgence, shrugging off the Spirit’s conviction in favor of instant gratification and little compromises . . . 

So, it would be wrong of us to think that this staying behind moment began the chain of events David followed all the way down to adultery and murder. This was just the last small pebble that triggered the avalanche. The truth is, David showed his disregard of God’s plan for marriage many years before when he took more than one wife. His practice of adding wives showed a lack of sexual restraint and an indulgence of his passions. This corrupt seed, sown long ago, grew unchecked long enough and would bear bitter fruit.

Pastor Alan Redpath put it this way: “This matter of Bathsheba was simply the climax of something that had been going on in his life for twenty years.”

This brings us back to today. Ask yourself: “Where am I not showing up right now? What battle have I avoided that I’m called to fight? Where have I let little compromises make camp in my heart?”

Right about now, you may be thinking, “Wow Danny, what a downer of a devo. You just ruined my morning coffee time. Thanks a lot!” If that’s you, I don’t blame you. But guess what? David’s story doesn’t end here—in shame; fallen off the cliff. And the same is true for us! 

Even when we fall, when we’ve drifted, and things begin to catch up with us . . . even if we step off the cliff, God’s not done with us! Through Christ Jesus, God always gives us a way back. Like the lost son who wasted his inheritance on prodigal living, the Father is always waiting for us to come to our senses, repent, and return. And when we do, He meets us, embraces us, and reminds us that we are His as He clothes us in His righteousness. 

If you’re in a David or prodigal son moment, you can turn back today! But if you’re not quite there yet, don’t wait for the Bathsheba moment to wake up. You can course correct today. Get back in the fight, get around your Joabs, confess, pray, and refocus. Go where you’re meant to be, and the Spirit will strengthen you to stand.

Pause: Where have you grown complacent or entitled? Where are you “remaining in Jerusalem” instead of showing up to the battle?

Practice: Get back to spiritual disciplines. Rejoin the community of faith. Step into your calling. Don’t sit out.

Pray: Father, reveal any compromise in me—habits, attitudes, justifications—that are moving me away from You. Give me courage to return to the fight, to walk in Your Spirit, and to guard my heart from the traps of the enemy. Keep me close. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.