#DailyDevotion Our Good Plans Aren’t Always God’s Plan
2 Samuel 7 After the LORD gave the king rest from fighting his enemies all around him and he was settled at home, 2the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I’m living in a cedar palace, while God’s ark is lodged within the curtains of a tent.” 3“Go,” Nathan told the king, “do everything you have in mind, because the LORD is with you.” 4But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan. 5“Go,” He said, “tell My servant David, the LORD says this: ‘Should you build Me a temple to live in? 6I haven’t lived in a temple from the day I took Israel out of Egypt till now, but I moved from place to place in a tent or a tabernacle. 7In any of the places where I moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to anyone of the judges of Israel whom I ordered to shepherd My people Israel: “Why haven’t you built Me a cedar temple?”
The LORD had blessed David with many good things. He had given David victory in battle. He had made David king over all Israel. He had given David many wives and concubines (but I sometimes wonder about the wisdom in this). The LORD blessed him with many children. David even now after starting out as a kid shepherding flocks in the fields is now living in a fine cedar palace.
He sees all the LORD has blessed him with and looks down upon the tabernacle, which is a fairly large tent, which the LORD has placed his name with the ark of the covenant. Shouldn’t the LORD have a better place than that, he thinks. He tells Nathan the prophet about his thinking and the Nathan blesses him saying, “Go do everything you have in mind, because the LORD is with you.” And while the LORD is truly with David, the LORD has other plans.
Apparently, Nathan, while being a prophet, isn’t always correct. The LORD corrects Nathan and tells him to go back to David and say, “I don’t think so.” The LORD hadn’t asked for this. Why does David think this is necessary? The LORD went from place to place, that is his Name which He put on the Ark of the Covenant, did. It is good to note here the LORD was always with the Israelites. He moved with them wherever they went. Of course he ordered there ways.
Now the LORD isn’t telling David here that what he wants to do is wrong. It just isn’t his plan right now. David isn’t the one to pull it off. Sometimes, we may get a grand idea to do something for the LORD. Unfortunately, we don’t have Nathan to speak to the LORD and find out he has other plans. Just because something is good, in and of itself, doesn’t always mean it is the LORD’s to do it. Nevertheless, we should pray before we take on some new project and ask God’s blessing for the sake of Christ. Like the temple idea David had, it may be well and good in and of itself. It may or may not fit into God’s plans. If it fails, it doesn’t mean it was sinful, it just didn’t fit into what our LORD wanted us to do at the time.
In all things then, let us do everything in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ and ask his blessing. If it succeeds, well and good. If it doesn’t, well, it’s still well and good. When we act in faith the LORD sees that and blesses us, even if it what we planned didn’t work out like we hoped. We submit ourselves humbly to Jesus Christ our LORD and his will.
Almighty God and Father, grant that we may always act in faith, according to your revealed will, guide us in all that we do, so even if what we had planned wasn’t your plans, it is still done with faith in Christ. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.