“You Are Not The One To Build Me

A House To Dwell In”

After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.”

Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.”

But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying: “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.

1 Chronicles 17:1-4

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.

“What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, Lord. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.

“There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

“And now, Lord, let the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised, so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you.

“You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you.

1 Chronicles 17:16-25

God chose David’s son Solomon to build the temple. David’s response was exemplary. He focused on what God would do, instead of what he himself could not do. He maintained a thankful spirit. He did everything he could and rallied capable men to assist Solomon in building the temple.

We may have to accept something we don’t really see. Maybe the work we would like to perform in terms of Christian service is not what we are best equipped to do. Maybe God has something else for us to do. Maybe God has a grander plan for where we best fit in.

David sought God’s glory, not his own. He faithfully did all he could for God’s temple, laying a solid foundation for the one who would come after him to complete the work. May we, likewise, accept the tasks God has chosen for us to do. We should serve the Lord, our God, with a thankful heart! Our loving God is doing something “more obviously grand.”

God may conceal the purpose of His ways, but His ways are not without purpose.

Our Daily Bread - March 25, 2017