PerryDox – BeJustAChristian

God would rather do great things through us than have us do great things for God. Can we get so fixated on doing great things, even out of deep humility, that we lose God’s focus? Can we become so confused by our pride that we want to do great things instead of God’s simple ones?

David is settled in his palace. God has given him rest from his enemies. Then David has an epiphany, “Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains” (2 Samuel 7.2). “Go and do all that is on your heart, for the LORD is with you” (7.3). Neither David nor Nathan inquires of the Lord. Then God speaks.

God’s attitude towards David is not like towards Saul who also wanted to do great things for God. Saul wanted to keep the flocks’ best to sacrifice instead of obeying and destroying all. Samuel responds to King Saul, “Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams” (1 Sm 15.22). God’s attitude towards David is more compassionate. Saul acted out of fear of man and David out of reverence for God. Despite God’s compassion, what David wanted to do was not authorized by God: “In all My journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever asked…Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedar?” (2 Sm 7.7). To paraphrase Samuel, “to obey is better than to build.” Can anyone claim a closer relationship to God, than David? So if even David could not know what God wanted unless God spoke, we need to respect as holy God’s silence. To act where God has not authorized is wanting to do great things for God instead of having God do great things through us. Then God does something marvelous. Instead of David building a house for God, God will build a “house,” a dynasty, culminating in the Messiah, for David (7.8-16; Heb 1.5). David wanted to do great things for God when God wanted to do great things through David.

What comes from God doing great things through us? Humility: “Who am I, LORD God and what is my house that You have brought me this far?” (7.18). Amazement: “What You have done so far was a little thing to You, Lord GOD, for You have also spoke about Your servant’s house in the distant future” (7.19). Worship: “This is why you are great, Lord GOD. There is no one like You, and there is no God beside You, as all we have heard confirms” (7.22). Gratitude: And who is like Your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for Himself, to make a name for Himself, and to perform for them great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods …” (7.23). Courage: “Therefore, Your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to You” (7.27). Now, those are some great things.

People keep trying to improve God’s ways by doing great things for God, when God would rather do great things through us.

Prayer Challenge: Pray God will use us, and that we won’t use God to do great things.

Tags: Prayer, Praying through the Bible

This entry was posted by PHall on Monday, October 28th, 2013 at 8:11 pm and is filed under II Samuel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.