A Casual Thought

1 Chronicles 17:16-17

“Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God.”

Coming to a place of peace and prosperity, David looks around and desires to do something for God. Enjoying the Royal past time of building great structures David decides he should build a house for God. You see a similar position with Nebuchadnezzar as he is on his roof seeing all his great projects and the magnificent of the city, yet he glorifies himself, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”(Daniel 4:30) David seeing all that has happened wants to glorify God, and God says “no”. As if God wants to let David know he did not raise David up to build houses for him. The message is clear. God lifts people up, establishes them, he is not lifted up by them or established by them. The humility of David comes through as he recognizes the casualness with which God does all that David holds to. The kingdom, the honor, the comfort, all a shepherd boy could hope for, given to him, and more as God promised to sustain his house. A promise David must trust in for his salvation, as he, like us, is saved by trusting in the savior.  David simply had to trust in the savior who was to come from his line, and trusting in that promise, David would call his unborn offspring Lord.

The nature of this overwhelming glorious nature of God’s casual blessing of such immense proportion, grates on the sinful nature of Americans. It grates in a way that has many denying such a glorious God. For the question that immediately comes to mind is “what about me.” The idolatrous self that is born in and trained up in our hearts wants to wonder why such a God would not bless ME in that way. We join Nebuchadnezzar and seek for the me, mine, my of these things. Joining Nebuchadnezzar and the leach that is never satisfied. (Proverbs 30:15) So, some write off the God of the bible and invent a new god that will give them what they want if they are good. Others, dishonestly, simply write off the idea of “God” at all, convincing themselves to believe the lie of their own invention. Let us choose the “more excellent way.” (1 Corinthians 12:31)

To love and trust a sovereign God. To love and trust a sovereign God that orders creation for our good and that includes the suffering that comes our way. The sleepless nights on the mountain (why do you think he was awake to still Saul’s spear), driven from the closest friend he ever would know, have his wife given to another, a murderous nephew always at his side, to trust God in the midst of these hardships is what “trusting the Lord” means. David would trust him more than all else, even in the discipline he would rightly deserve (2 Samuel 24:14). To raise a boy from following the flock and place him as king “was a small thing” for God. Which means God chooses not to “give you a million dollars”, not to allow you all the children you want, not give you the promotion, not allow your spouse to survive you, not to heal your back that you might walk, not to. Will you join David and trust the God who chooses “not to”? He does choose to raise up, he does choose, to bless with children, to heal broken backs, these “little things” he occasionally chooses to do. But often he chooses not to. Not to heal Joni Eareckson Tada, Not to let Abner or Amasa defeat Joab, not to give a young man back the use of his legs, not to… Do you trust him?

“Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus…O for grace to trust Him More”

Cruce, Dum Spiro, Fido