Augustine in his confession, writes about as a young man he was intending to travel to Rome. His mother was against it and prayed against it. She prayed earnestly that he might be prevented from going. Her reason being that she feared what effect the temptation of sin in the depravity of that big city would have on her son.
Augustine went to Rome and heard the preaching of Ambrose and was converted to Christianity. Her prayer was answered he said, not in outward form, but in inward heart. She prayed that he might be saved from the weight of sin.
There are times we pray, and God gives even more than we ask. When I was newly married, I had my Quiet times and prayers in 15 journals. There were 3,500 recorded quiet times with my prayer requests. My wife Lenora read them. There were many unanswered prayers. By unanswered prayer I mean when we do not get what we ask for.
What at first, we might call unanswered prayer when we do not get what we ask for we sometimes get a greater answer. We sometimes get more than we asked for. Like Augustine’s mother praying for spiritual deliverance of her son.
David had on his heart to build a temple for God. David lived in a beautiful palace of cedar and God’s ark dwelled in a tabernacle, a tent.
After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” (2 Samuel 7:1)
David felt building God’s house was a good idea. Nathan the prophet felt the same way. He said since the Lord God is with you build God’s house. But God gave David a great promise for the future. Little did David know that promise went beyond what he could ask or imagine.
But your family and your kingdom will continue always before me. Your throne will last forever. (2 Samuel 7:16)
What God had for David was not what David had asked for. David wanted to build a house for God. God’s response was that David’s son would build the temple.
He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. (2 Samuel 7:13)
Of course, now we know which son it would be. Solomon would sit on the throne and build the temple that David wanted to build. God promises David that God himself will establish his house.
David’s name would be great like the names of the greatest men of earth. All this from the humble beginning of a shepherd boy. It is no wonder that David is called a man after God’s own heart. Look at his reaction. He sat before the Lord.
Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign LORD, is for a mere human! (2 Samuel 7:18-19)
David had the response of a man after God’s own heart. He did not get what he wanted which was to build the house for God, but David trusted God. God was giving him something much greater than what he wanted to do. Many of us might have had resentment for not getting our desire to build the temple.
David was not wanting the Lord to bless what he was doing. David wanted to do what the Lord was blessing. He was willing to wait for the next generation to do what he wanted. David desired to do things in God’s timing.
David did not argue with God and say, “Lord I said I wanted to build a temple. I never said I wanted my son to build the temple. How can my name be great unless I build the temple?” No, David did not respond this way.
David looked past what God was intending for someone else and praised God for how he was being blessed. Instead of asking why can I not build your house Lord, David responded in faith and worshipped God for His promise of the future.
David contrasts his own humility and utter dependence on God with the sovereignty of God. David recognizes God for who he is the exalted Almighty God. When David addresses God as Sovereign Lord he recognizes that God has absolute rule and God is the true King.
When David sits in devotion before God, he realizes how big his God is. We all need to sit before God and consider how big God is. We need to acknowledge our total dependence on God. This will revolutionize our spiritual life.
We need to remember what God is doing in our lives. There is not a need for us to complain about what God did not do. He has our best interest in store for us. That right response before God happens when we remember who God is.
Baptist preacher Alexander McClaren was a great preacher and Bible expositor of Scotland. What is attributed most to his success was he would put aside everything and spend extended time sitting before the Lord in prayer. He called this his “alone with the Eternal” time. He had his bible and was on his knees before God during this time. Sometimes he would be reading the Bible and sometimes praying with his hand on his face.
David is responding to God’s promise. He will sit before God and really pray. This must be the contributing factor of why David wrote the worshipful Psalms. David would sit before God and exalt his name.
David could keep in perspective that God was doing something different than he was asking. David was aware that God is the Sovereign Lord, and it is God who is the Lord God Almighty. There are nine times David says in his prayer: O Sovereign Lord or The Lord God Almighty.
Who am I, Sovereign Lord (2 Samuel 7 vs 18)
Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house (2 Samuel 7 vs 19)
—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human! (2 Samuel 7 vs 19)
For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. (2 Samuel 7 vs 20)
“How great you are, Sovereign Lord! (2 Samuel 7 vs 22)
Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel (2 Samuel 7 vs 26)
“LORD Almighty, God of Israel, (2 Samuel 7 vs 27)
Sovereign LORD, you are God! (2 Samuel 7 vs 28)
for you, Sovereign LORD, have spoken, (2 Samuel 7 vs 29)
Because David was aware that God is the Almighty God and he although king of the people was just a servant of God, he could see the big picture of God’s purposes.
“What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign LORD. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant. (2 Samuel 7 vs 20-21)
God chose David and gave him this messianic promise. Why? Because God loves all people. He chose and made a promise to David to fulfill his redemptive purpose in Christ. God made this great promise to David according to his will.
David speaks of the great deeds that God has done. David never grows tired of speaking about God’s delivering Israel from Egypt and the great miracle of deliverance at the parting of the Red Sea. He is always ready to remember how God drove out the nations to establish Israel in the promised land.
“How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, LORD, have become their God. (2 Samuel 7 vs 22-24)
David praises God in these verses for establishing Israel as a redeemed people for himself. As Christians we can praise God that He has made us a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and a redeemed people.
David had a plan to build God’s house. The Lord had a different plan. David is totally willing to submit to God’s plan.
“And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The LORD Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight. (2 Samuel 7 vs 25-27)
Do your plan Lord so your name will be magnified. Fulfill your plan in Jesus through us Lord Almighty, Sovereign Lord that the world may know you. We ask Lord send revival to my church and my country. Use me, Lord. Show the world that you have not lost control of the reigns.
Our God is able and willing to fulfill all his promises. Do it again Lord.
David recognized the source of all blessings. He humbly acknowledged that he went from a lowly shepherd in the fields to king of Israel. Not because of his clever design, but because God blessed him and poured out undeserved favor on him.
Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.” (2 Samuel 7 vs 28-29)
There are many people who become arrogant when God blesses them. That is the curse of success. This did not happen to David. He remained humble. We need to acknowledge God’s grace in our life. God uses his humble servant.
Think back to the last time you had an “unanswered prayer.” How did you respond before God? Augustine’s mother could have been angry with God that her son went to Rome after she prayed that he not go. For us, next time, let us remember David’s response. Next time our prayer seems to be unanswered let us look deeper and remember that God is Sovereign Lord, and he is fulfilling his plan.
Do not focus on what did not get answered according to what you wanted to see happen. Instead focus on the sovereignty of God. Focus on the way that God is accomplishing his purposes and using you, his humble servant in the work he is doing. Think about the great blessings God has bestowed on you. Remember the great future God has given you.
In short, trust the Lord and his purposes. You can sit before God and praise him. You can rightly respond to his promises.
