Readings for today: 2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17, Psalms 1, 2, 33, 127, 132
“Unless the Lord builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the Lord watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.” (Psalms 127:1 CSB) This verse hits me almost every year. Especially when juxtaposed with David’s desire to build the Lord a temple. A permanent home. A sacred place where Israel could come and go before the Lord. It’s not a bad desire. It’s not a sinful desire. In fact, the prophet Nathan initially affirms David’s heart. God Himself agrees with David though David will not be the one to build God His home. However, the bigger lesson God wants us to grasp here is that He is the master builder. He is the great architect of our lives. We may think we are builders, doers, planners, achievers but it is God who wills and who works according to His good pleasure.
It’s so tempting to look at the work of our hands and take credit. It’s so tempting to look at what we have done or what we have accomplished in our lives or what we have achieved and think we are the author of our success. But God makes it clear through the life of David that He is the one who builds and grows and grants success. God plucked David from obscurity in a shepherd’s field. Gave Him a name. Gave Him victory after victory. Anointed Him king. Built his household so he would have successors who will sit on the throne after him. David doesn’t bless God, God blesses David. David doesn’t provide for God, God provides for David. It’s not David who is making God’s name great, it is God who is making David’s name great. And the same dynamic is true for us. I think about my marriage and my family. We are close. We love each other deeply. We serve each other. We have great relationships and conversations and the future is so bright for all our kids. All of it is because of God. I think about the church God called me to serve. It is growing. It is thriving. There is so much life and joy here. All of it because of God. I think about the many ways I’ve been able to serve students at Denver Seminary or our denomination nationally or the Petros Network internationally. All of it because of God.
The problem, of course, is I start to think it’s because of me. I start to pat myself on the back. I start to believe my own hype. I start to look at everything and think “I did this” or “I’m the essential part of this story.” Nothing could be further from the truth. God doesn’t need me but graciously chooses to use me. God doesn’t depend on me but graciously invites me in to share in His blessings. God can easily do all this without me but graciously includes me. This is the lesson David needed to learn. It’s the lesson I need to still learn. It’s the lesson all of us need to learn and hold onto in life.
Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18