Readings for today: 2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17, Psalms 1-2, 33, 127, 132
One of the things you notice when you read the Bible year after year is that some of the same issues tend to pop up. The Holy Spirit uses His Word to reveal deep character flaws that must be addressed. For example, every time I read Psalm 127, I am reminded of one of my greatest struggles which is my desire to be successful. To make my life count. To do something significant. To strive to be the best. These values were ingrained in me from an early age. They are not necessarily bad in and of themselves. The problem is I too often let these good things become ultimate things in my life. I start to pursue success at the expense of my relationship with God or those I love. I focus on the future rather than finding contentment in the present. I covet what I don’t have rather than be thankful for what I do have.
Several years ago, the Lord spoke to me during a time of prayer. It wasn’t an audible voice or a lightning bolt from heaven or anything like that. It was simply an impression in my heart. A feeling in my gut. A few random thoughts in my head that suddenly coalesced into a message I needed to hear. It was a short message. Three simple words. Obscurity. Anonymity. Insignificance. I was journaling and these three words started ringing over and over again in my head. Obscurity. Anonymity. Insignificance. Over the years I’ve learned to pay attention to these kinds of things in my prayer time so I sat back from my keyboard and asked the Lord to give me further insight into what He was saying. God said, “I want you to labor in obscurity. Embrace anonymity. Pursue insignificance.” To be honest, my first thought was “No way!” However, after pondering the message for a few days, I realized what God was doing. The Holy Spirit was about to do some deep work in my heart. Work that would turn me around and inside out and upside down. It was life-changing work that would shift my perspective eternally.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” King David has a desire to build God a house. It’s a godly desire. A good desire. One that is affirmed by Nathan the prophet. But it is not the Lord’s will. “But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, "Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in?...'Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Samuel 7:4-5, 8-13) I love how God flips the tables on David here. It is not David who will build God a house but God who will build David a house! It is not David who will make His own name great but God who will make David’s name great!
Unless God builds the house. Unless God builds David’s house. Unless God builds our house. We all labor in vain. This was essentially the message God was sending me during my devotional time. I was spending so much energy working so hard to be successful. To stand out among my peers. To be faithful to God. And all the while God was calling me to rest. To trust. To stand back and let Him do the “building” of my life. Let Him guide and direct my path. Let Him have the glory for the success I was seeking to achieve.
I’ve learned a lot over the years about the meaning of those three, God-given words. They no longer feel unnatural. No longer feel like they’re cutting against the grain of my life. In fact, I not only have learned to accept them but to embrace them as a way of life for myself.
Obscurity - I love where I am. I love the church family I get to serve. I love the team of leaders I get to serve alongside. We are gospel-centered. We bear Kingdom-fruit. We have a global reach. We are reaching the lost. We are serving the underserved. We truly are seeking to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community and around the world. And yet we are obscure. We are not the biggest or fastest growing or most “successful” church around. We simply do the work God has called us to day in and day out. It’s awesome.
Anonymity - No one knows my name. I have no platform. No influence. No power. I am simply a pastor. One beggar telling another where to find bread. I have no need to build a brand. I do not aspire to high position. My goal is simply to preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten.
Insignificance - The reality is I will be completely forgotten within a generation or so of my death. My own family won’t remember who I was or what I did. All my accomplishments and achievements will quickly turn to dust. And that’s okay. Because my significance is not found in what I do but in who God is and I am content simply to serve Him in whatever way He sees fit.
Friends, I wish I could describe the blessings that flow when you truly let go of the need to build your own house and instead turn your plans over to God. I wish I could describe the joy and peace that I wake up with every morning because I no longer find myself striving so hard to make my own way in the world. I wish I could describe the intimacy of the relationships I’ve forged with my wife and children and church family. It’s truly incredible. All because I’ve surrendered my need to make a name for myself. God is at work and His plan for me is more than enough.
Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18