Discover His heart: His response to our request is always what is best for us
No one likes being told “No, you can’t have that” or “No, you can’t do that,” etc. I’ve been told that when I was really young, I wasn’t a child who whined or sobbed when told no. I was a pouter. Ugh. That lower lip would fall to the floor, and, you know, it’s very difficult to smile when one’s lip is on the ground. However, my mom had a way of putting a smile on my face even in my moments of disappointment. She would look at me and say, “I’ll smile if you’ll smile,” and then she would give me a hopeful little smile. Sometimes it took more than one smile on her part, but eventually, I couldn’t help but smile and laugh. In our reading today, David heard no from God but praised Him anyway.
@ I Chronicles 17
David had a brilliant idea. He wanted to build a beautiful temple for the Lord. I’m sure his hopes of accomplishing this were high when the prophet Nathan said to go for it. (2) However, Nathan returned to David after hearing from the Lord with a definite no to David’s idea. We love it when God says yes to us, or we submit to His wait, but when He says no, we are wise to accept His will as well.
Because God is so very gracious even when He answers with a negative response, He threw in His own version of I’ll smile if you smile at David. “I will raise up one of your descendants, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for me. And I will secure his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my favor from him as I took it from the one who ruled before you. I will confirm him as king over my house and my kingdom for all time, and his throne will be secure forever.” (11-14) Now a proclamation like that would put a smile on any father’s face. Even though many of David’s descendants failed in their love for God, a descendant was coming to redeem the world, Christ Jesus, and His throne will be secure forever.
Even in the face of disappointment, David was immediately humbled by God’s smile in the midst of a no. “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And now, O God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! You speak as though I were someone very great, O Lord God!…O Lord, there is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!”(16-17,20) David’s response to God is filled with praise and worship – a big smile for God!
Sometimes God’s answer to our prayer is no, and we may be tempted to whine, cry or pout. A much better response is to follow David’s example and believe that God knows what is best and has a better plan, whether He expresses that plan at the time or not. The very thought that my God loves me and is concerned enough about my welfare to say no at times humbles me to my knees. I cry, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” And that makes me smile!
Moving Forward: Throughout my prayers today, I will smile with confidence because I know He has my best interests at heart.
Tomorrow @ Psalms 102-104
Phyllis Benigas 