The one who found themself in the wrong place at the wrong time knew that they should not have been there, and would never have been there, but for the disappointment in their life. The disappointment clouded their judgement and drove them to the place in which they should never have been. And now in that place, they stand in the line of fire. But are they truly in the wrong place at the wrong time? Is there such a thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time?
In the spring time, at the time when kings go off to war – King David remained in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 11:1) Four chapters earlier, God had promised to establish David’s house and give him rest from his enemies. At this stage David was already married, with at least four wives, Michal, Ahinoam, Abigal, and Maacah. Three chapters in from the promise, David sought to send his condolences to Hanun for the passing of his father the King of the Ammonites. Unfortunately, David’s kind gesture was not received well and instead resulted in a battle between David against the Ammonites and the Aramean’s.
Entering into chapter 11, in the battle against the Ammonites and the Aramean’s, the Aramean’s withdrew and David was left to battle against the Ammonites only. But instead of going off to fight for his country and finish off the enemy, David remained in Jerusalem. When David remained in the place in which he should never have been, he met Bathsheba and consequently committed adultery. Bathsheba became pregnant, which culminated in events in which David became a murderer when he ordered the death of Bathsheba’s husband. How did David end up at this point? Of committing adultery and ordering the death of another? I believe David found himself in that situation because of disappointment. David may have felt disappointed that God promised to give him rest from all his enemies (2 Samuel 7:11), but instead, out of a gesture of kindness, David now faced a battle which in his eyes should never have been.
If this is the case, then I believe that David’s disappointment was rooted in a great misinterpretation of what God meant by “giving him rest from his enemies”. I believe that what was promised to David in his lifetime referred to “rest” as the assurance of victory in every battle he faced. Prior to the promise of rest, the Israelites had been oppressed and defeated in every battle (2 Samuel 7:10), but immediately after the promise, (chapter 8), the Israelites had nothing but victory against their enemies.
While the disappointment may have led David to a place where he appeared to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, the place that should have been the wrong place turned out to be the right place, because after David repented, it was through his marriage to Bathsheba that they birthed King Solomon, who was known to be the wisest man to have ever lived. Furthermore, what is most fascinating, is that David had at least four other wives before Bathsheba with whom he had children, yet none of those children went on to play such an important role as Solomon. And not only did God fulfil his promise for complete rest from his enemies through the King Solomon era, God also fulfilled his promise to establish a house for David forever, for it is through the David and Solomon lineage that Jesus came!
So, if we embrace this new perspective, is there such a thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time? If it is indeed true that God directs our footsteps, when we give Him the reins of our lives, then there is no such thing as coincidences or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. While it may be true, like David, that at times we walk in a path that displeases God and leads to the wrong place, God in His omniscience omnipresence, and omnipotence, knows about the wrong path before we take it. He goes ahead of our path and turns it around for our good so that that wrong place that could have had devastative consequences, becomes the wrong place at the right time to work for our good!
Although we may not be able to understand the ways in which God works if we allow God to harness the mess which we have made of our lives by giving ourselves over to Him in faith, our disappointing situations will transition from the wrong place at the wrong time, to the wrong place at the right time.
©Katie Mliswa and MomentsbyKatie.M, 2018.
