When David prepares to build God's Temple the Lord sends word quickly through Nathan that he is not going to do it. This had to be hard to take for a man who was so used by the Lord to defeat the giant threatening Israel's existence. Yet the response David expresses is incredible. He received the Lord's "no" with grace and he focused on what God was going to do through him rather than what he had planned to do for God.
1 Chronicles 17:16–18 (ESV) Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 17 And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O LORD God! 18 And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant.
God told David he would not build a house for him but instead, the Lord would build a house through David that would outlast David and bring David honor for generations. Consider that we still refer to Jesus as "Son of David."
God always has a long-term vision for the world. We get caught up in the moment by moment realities of life. We get hurt by the small disappointments and setbacks in the immediate. God has our every life planned out for the long haul and all of creation is called to trust Him.
David's plan to build a temple may appear completely admirable but there would have been some amount of selfishness in it. In ancient times a king would build two great houses. One for himself and the other for his nation's god or gods. The bigger the temple, the bigger your god appeared to be to all the other nations around you... therefore, do not mess with your god.
David was perhaps unintentionally doing the same thing Israel did in choosing Saul - seeking to be like all the other nations. God's preserving grace over David's life kept him from chasing such a small-minded goal by teaching David an important truth missing in many of today's popular Christian teachers: Your life is for God's glory, not the other way around.
David gets the message quickly - no wonder he's referred to as a man after God's own heart.
1 Chronicles 17:21 (ESV) And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and awesome things, in driving out nations before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt?
David remembers the reason Israel exists. It's the reason we all exist - to glorify God.
1 Chronicles 17:23–24 (ESV) And now, O LORD, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do as you have spoken, 24 and your name will be established and magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you.
David then rightly aligns his heart with God's priorities around God's rejection of David's plan in exchange for his long-term plan of bringing about salvation for the nations through David's son, Jesus.
Think of how all this came true. David's name and legacy are sealed in history. There will never be anyone who compares to him outside of Jesus. Further, the swift response of David in this text is a wonderful example of how God honors one who quickly responds to His Word in submission and service.
Maybe you're frustrated with God's "no" to something you think is admirable to accomplish. Don't be. God is not done. He has a long-term plan for you and wants to accomplish great things through you. Surrender the plan, give the glory to God and the rest is history.
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