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<\/a> <\/p>2 Samuel 7<\/p>\n
By that time, David had become king. Most of the battles were over, and the enemies around him had temporarily quieted down.<\/p>\n
David was living in a pretty impressive palace made of cedar, and life had finally become peaceful.<\/p>\n
One day, David thought about it and said to the prophet Nathan:<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at this. I\u2019m living in such a nice house, but the Ark of God is still sitting in a tent. How does that make sense? I\u2019m living in a palace while God is living in a tent. That doesn\u2019t sit right with me. I\u2019m thinking about building God a great house\u2014a temple. That should be a good thing, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nathan heard this and thought it sounded like a pretty good idea too. So he said to David:<\/p>\n
\u201cGo ahead and do whatever you have in mind, because God is with you anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
But that night, the word of God came to Nathan.<\/p>\n
God said:<\/p>\n
\u201cGo and tell my servant David, \u2018Don\u2019t be in such a hurry to build me a house.<\/p>\n
Think about it. When I brought the Israelites out of Egypt, all the way until now, when did I ever ask them to build me a house?<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
All these years, I have been going with my people. Wherever they moved, I went with them. When they lived in tents, I was with them in the tabernacle.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Then God said to David:<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you remember? You used to be a shepherd.<\/p>\n
I took you out from the sheep pen and told you that you didn\u2019t have to spend every day following sheep around anymore. I made you king over Israel.<\/p>\n
Wherever you went, I was with you.<\/p>\n
When you fought your enemies, I helped you win.<\/p>\n
What you were before and what you are now\u2014all of it came from me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then God continued:<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd David, don\u2019t think this is only about you building a house for me.<\/p>\n
Actually, I\u2019m the one who is going to \u2018build a house\u2019 for you.<\/p>\n
Do you understand what I mean?<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not talking about building you a house made of bricks and walls. I\u2019m talking about establishing a family, a dynasty, a kingdom that will continue from generation to generation.<\/p>\n
When you have finished your life and go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your descendant after you, and I will establish his kingdom.<\/p>\n
He will build a temple for my name.<\/p>\n
I will be his father, and he will be my son.<\/p>\n
If he does wrong, I will discipline him. I may even punish him with the rod of men.<\/p>\n
But don\u2019t worry. My love will not leave him because of his mistakes.<\/p>\n
I will not take my love away from him as I took it away from Saul.<\/p>\n
Your family, your dynasty, and your kingdom will stand forever before me, and your throne will be established forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
After Nathan heard all of this, he went and told David everything God had said.<\/p>\n
When David heard it, his heart was suddenly overwhelmed.<\/p>\n
He went into the presence of God, sat there, and began talking with God:<\/p>\n
\u201cLord God, who am I?<\/p>\n
What am I?<\/p>\n
And what is my family?<\/p>\n
Why have you been so good to me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGod, your grace toward me is so great.<\/p>\n
And that wasn\u2019t even enough\u2014you also told me that you would let my family continue for generations.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLord God, you know me.<\/p>\n
You know what I am really like.<\/p>\n
None of this is something I could have made happen by myself. You have done all of this because of your word and because it is what you desired to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGod, you are truly great!<\/p>\n
Of all the things the people of Israel have heard, is there any god who can compare with you?<\/p>\n
No!<\/p>\n
There is no other god like you anywhere in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou remember the people of Israel, right?<\/p>\n
They suffered in Egypt, and you were the one who rescued them.<\/p>\n
You brought them out of slavery and made them your own people.<\/p>\n
And you became their God.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo now, God, I\u2019m going to be bold enough to ask you for one more thing:<\/p>\n
Since you have already promised these things to me, please do exactly what you said.<\/p>\n
Establish your promise to me and my family, and let it continue forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMay everyone know how great your name is!<\/p>\n
May people all over the world say:<\/p>\n
\u2018The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGod, since you yourself have said to me:<\/p>\n
\u2018I will establish a house for you,\u2019<\/p>\n
then today I dare to ask you for this.<\/p>\n
Because I\u2019m not making this up on my own. You were the one who spoke to me first.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finally, David said:<\/p>\n
\u201cLord God, you alone are the true God.<\/p>\n
Everything you say is true.<\/p>\n
Since you have promised to bless me, please continue to bless my family.<\/p>\n
May my family stand forever before you.<\/p>\n
So please, according to your own promise, bless me and my family forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friends, think about this:<\/p>\n
David wanted to do something for God, but God told David, \u201cYou don\u2019t have to prove anything to me by your own strength. I have already decided to bless you.\u201d<\/p>\n
That is grace.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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