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2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, "See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent." Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you." But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?" Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to 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 live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers 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.
God has blessed me with many places to live all my life. I started life in a small concrete house behind a larger house that my dad and mom rented from someone. The day came that my dad purchased a lot and had a wooden home on blocks build there. Later, he bought an old railroad building that he turned into my grandmother's house behind ours. Then, to Houston, and living in a rented, wooden apartment in a fourplex building. Then our own new home, college dorms, my apartment with my bride, several parsonages, our own new home, and back in parsonage. I am thankful that God has always provided a roof over my head, sheltered me from the elements, and given me all things that I have needed. Such was David's feeling in the story told above. He had risen from the pasture to the palace, and as king, was living in the nicest home in the country, made of cedar, so you can imagine the wonderful smell (for those of you not allergic to cedar!). But he said, "Wait a minute. Here I am in this nice house and yonder lives God in a tent!" He shares this with the prophet Nathan, with his desire to build God a similar home to his, but the word comes to the prophet from God that it would not be David to build God a home, God instead would build David's house. The ancients struggled with housing God. We do, too. God early on said He did not want a house, but would take a throne, thus the ark of the covenant, symbol of where God may sit if He so desires. The tabernacle was the symbol of God's presence as God traveled with them in the Exodus; but the point was this: God wants to be, and is, everywhere. God did not expect us to journey to certain places to say that we went there to worship God. We have churches that we do call the "house of God," but indeed, God lives within us, if we so invite Him.
And the desire of God was for David to realize that all that he had and would have, came from God. His earthly possessions, his offspring, all gifts from above. The best house David could build was a dwelling place in his heart and in the hearts of his family. God knew the best house for peace was in David's heart; and for us as well. All that we strive to do for God, and all attempts to build, pale when it comes to the truth of what God truly wants from, and for, us; a home in which to share His love and peace - in the ole ticker (heart, for you young'uns).
So, dear friend, seek to build God the best house God can have, in your heart, your own home, your family, your work, your play; in all that you do, and then step back and see if it hasn't been God to build something for YOU!
PRAYER: Loving God, build me in that which will glorify You. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
