1 Chronicles 21:16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.

At some point every believer must come to grips with the fact that although God is love, he is also righteous. And because God is righteous, he is also the judge of all men and all things. In Jeremiah 9:23-24 the Lord says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on the earth for in these I delight.”

In the first verse of 1 Chronicles 21, it is recorded that: Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to make a census of Israel. King David gave the order to Joab the commander of his army to carry out the census. Joab protested but was overruled by the King. In carrying out the command Joab refused to include the tribe of Levi and Benjamin so in any case the result was flawed. David eventually confessed to God that he had sinned and done a foolish thing. So he prayed: “Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant.”

The Lord sent Gad the seer to outline three possible punishments to David – “three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord – days of plague in the land with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.” What terrifying choices? David decided: “Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great.” The punishment proceeds.

As you read this account of David’s encounter with the angel of the Lord, let it break your heart as it did David’s and mine. It lets you see the great cost to others of your individual disobedience and willfulness. Is your latest pursuit in harmony with what God wants?