That’s What You Think

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

 

Life is full of little disappointments. A year ago I thought I would be living in Belize by now. I had lots of doubts about how that would go and leaving my family, but I thought that was the call of God and so I was willing. 

Since our return and a subsequent trip, there has been no confirmation of that call. We even went back to see if God would give us specifics. We only heard silence from Him. At the very least we believe that the time to go to Belize is not now. We do not know what plans God has for us in the future.

This past week I studied 2 Samuel 7.  In this chapter King David, who lives in a house, considers that the “ark of God dwells in a tent.” He goes to Nathan the prophet and suggests that he build a house, a permanent dwelling place for the ark of God. At the time the ark of God represented the presence of God among His people.

Nathan was all for the idea. “ And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.” (2 Samuel 7:3).

That night God spoke to Nathan and intervened in the plan. He stopped them, questioning whether or not he had asked anyone, ever, why they had not built Him a house. He pointed to the ways He had blessed David over the years, calling him from the fields where he shepherded sheep to be “prince over My people” and cutting off his enemies (2 Samuel 7:8-9). God went on to tell Nathan to remind King David that He would make David’s name great, that He would plant His people, Israel, and make them secure (2 Samuel 7:10). “Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the Lord will make  you a house.” (emphasis mine.)   

In the next two verses God proceeds to tell David that it would be his offspring who will be privileged to build a house for God – after David has passed away. The Lord’s final promise to David in this message given to Nathan is in  2 Samuel 7:16, “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before Me. Your throne shall be established forever.” God would not allow David to build Him a house – but He would build the Davidic dynasty that would be the line of the Messiah. 

David praised God for this change of plans! Though God took David’s plan He offered him something far better. It was like He was saying, “I will take this plan from you but then I will give you something more.” In God’s grace David is blessed even though his original plan was rejected. This is such a picture of God’s grace.

I find it encouraging that even King David, a man after God’s own heart, had some trouble discerning the will of God for him about building him a house. Even Nathan, the prophet of God, gave him the go-ahead when he sought godly counsel. This points me to the truth that we cannot replace God’s counsel with godly counsel. Sometimes God overrides even the plans that seem like they are so good He could have no objection.

The best part of this to me is to see God’s grace. There is no condemnation of David. In 2 Chronicles 22 we learn that God did not want David to build the house because David had “shed so much blood before Me on earth.” David had been a warrior for God but God determined that shed blood of other men made him not fit to serve Him by building the temple. (Should this point us away from the man who took lives to the One who saves lives?)

The lesson I took from this is that it is not a bad thing to have God change your plans. In fact, because the place of greatest blessing is in the center of God’s will, we, like David, should stop and praise God when He changes our plans. His plans are always better.

I do not know what plan God has in mind for us, but I know that not going to Belize is the plan for now. That will work out for our good and His glory. “

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:2