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God's plans are bigger than mine 2 Samuel 7 Have you ever wanted to do something for God and it never seemed to come together? Delayed and delayed, you wait to do it, then someone else starts talking about it and you think, "Wow that is my idea". God is working in you and someone else with the same great idea. He may have delayed your accomplishing it for that reason. Remember: Delayed is not Denied! The human mind plans the way, but it is the Lord who directs the steps (Proverbs 16:9). Man proposes, but God disposes. God answers prayers. God says "No", "Yes" or "Not yet". He said "Not yet" to Abraham about his son, to Moses about leaving Egypt, and even to King David. David desired to build a temple for the Lord (sounds good - who could say no) and in 2 Samuel 7, even the Prophet Nathan agreed. "Go and do it", he told David! But God told David "Not yet". David had a great dream and plan, but God wanted to correct and refine his dream, and hold it for another generation. Like God told Joel, in the last days it will be that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men see visions and your old men dream dreams (Acts 2). God moved when the time was right and the people were prepared for His Spirit. We get a glimpse of the glory of God revealed and God alone gets the credit. Your life is not about you, your life is about God. Your life is far more important than your own. Happiness, fulfillment, family, dreams - It is about God's dreams that He gives his people. You and I were created by God for His glory. Anything else is selling us short, missing the point. Only in God do we discover our origins and identity and purpose. David needed a vision bigger than his own. God's plans are bigger than mine and yours. God has His own long-range plans: to save every man, woman and child in our county. Join Him in his work and help Him accomplish that. That's why we want to add on to the fellowship hall and Sunday School classes. The task is bigger than we could ever do alone - or even with many helping. It is a God thing we are doing! David didn't see that yet; Do we? Before we build, we need to take our dream to God (like David) and get His perspective. God wants to fulfill the plans we make, but He wants to save them for something better than we could do alone. God answers our prayers- He says "No", "Yes" or "Not yet" - can we hear his "Not Yet, not till everyone is on board?" Til everyone is praying for it and planning for it. God did not stop David's plan and didn't try to stiffle his enthusiam but he did aim to 1) To correct his understanding 2) To direct his perspective God's glory was not dependent on David's (or our) dreams. Nathan finally got God's perspective on the whole thing, and got the word to David. "God has directed your life since childhood and all by no accident. Now you're king, but that's no accident, either. I do the planning and building and I will bring glory to myself". Basic lesson of life: God is in charge of God's own life. God is God and we are not. He is the initiator and sustainer of all. This is why Jesus taught us to pray: "Our Father, holy is your name. Thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth..." God moves in unsearchable ways and his ways are above ours as far as the heaven is above the earth (Isaiah 55). Read Romans 11:33. When God says "Not Yet", he has a very good reason. The Bible reminds us God is able (Ephesians 3:20), but does not wait on us to make it happen! David thought God needed a house. "Poor ol' God, living in a tent." God liked it, God is not limited to a tent (Psalm 19). The heavens are his canopy (tent). God is interested in something other than just brick and mortar. "I will appoint a place for my people and plant them there. I will ensure your heritage, your offspring will build." The Lord says that He will make you a house! David wanted to build God a house, but God was already building David a house, the promise of a line of Kings! "I will make a people who reflect my glory and obey my word and will be a light to nations for Me." It's not about physical location, but spiritual allocation! It's not cement or bricks and mortar, but dependence on our never-changing God and obedience to His word! Our security, as theirs, is not in what we have, but in who has us! "I am your great reward, says the Lord" (Genesis 15:1). Our God is a refuge, a very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46). Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will depend on the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20). Read this message of the Old prophets, Hebrews 11:13-16. Like these ancestors of faith, we hold on to something that we may not see, yet we know it is real and stake our lives on it - kingdom of God. 2 Samuel 7 is about covenant. The promise God made to His people and to all people through them: God does the building and he has saved us and is recreating us into the church of Jesus Christ so that He might be glorified through our lives, the way we love each other and serve others and build up the Body. We are God's building and His building blocks, that He can make of us a church, not brick and mortar, but of the building blocks of the Body of Christ. Read Ephesians 4:12-16. |
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