God Ideas
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Will you build a house for me to live in? 6 From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until now I have not lived in a house. I have been moving around all this time with a tent as my home. 7 As I have moved with the Israelites, I have never said to the tribes, whom I commanded to take care of my people Israel, “Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?”’ 2 Sam. 7:5-7
Have you ever had a really good idea? One so great you assumed it had to be a God idea?
When King David found rest from his enemies, he made a home for himself in a palace. Then he began to think- is it right for me to have a house and the ark of the covenant dwell in a tent?
Gracious!- that sounds right to me! God deserves better than any ol’ earthly king! The prophet Nathan even agreed. Go ahead, God is with you! Then the Lord began to reveal his thoughts to Nathan, who shared God’s response (today’s passage) with David.
When I read that, it really captured my heart. The ark was the place of God’s presence. He had prescribed every detail of its blueprint. He chose for it to travel with the Israelites, they were to follow the ark. Follow the presence of God! It was to be carried with poles upon the shoulders of men. It was to dwell in a mobile tent.
The ark of the covenant was a foreshadowing of the fulfillment that was to come. Under the new covenant, man would carry the presence of the Holy Spirit, in his heart, in the tent of flesh. He was a personal God that delighted to be present with His people. He chose to be available to guide and direct them!
God did not send His spirit to be a monument, to be periodically visited. No! His presence was to be carried by His chosen people. Even when He allowed Solomon to build a permanent temple/dwelling place for His presence, it was to be constantly tended by man. It was to be an active place. A place of relationship!
God longs to be a part of all that we do. He wants to go before us, walk beside us, and carry us through hard times. He wants His presence and Spirit to guide us in each direction we take, every step that we make. He chose to be with us so that we could restore the fellowship that was broken by sin in the garden.
David had a good idea. But it was not a God idea. We do well not to assume we know what God would have us to do. We need to seek Him, especially in matters pertaining to His kingdom. We need to make sure we have His presence and approval.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. Isa. 55:8
Dear Lord forgive me for making presumptions about your will. Forgive me for choosing things that are substandard to your purpose. Help me to always seek you and be led by Your Spirit. And thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for not only being willing, but desiring to be present with me! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Powerful message, Sherri. We sometimes think we know what God wants us to do…but we run ahead, because we think it was a God idea.