Readings for today: 2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17, Psalms 1, 2, 33, 127, 133
I love today’s reading. It’s one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament. David, a man after God’s own heart, looks around at his beautiful palace and the first thing he thinks about is the disparity between his house and God’s house. God lives in a tent so how can David live in a house of cedar? What does it say about David that he would live in a palace while God still has no permanent place to place His glory? So David begins to plan. He intends to build God a magnificent Temple. But this is not God’s will for David. God refuses to allow David to take any credit for what has taken place in his life. It is God who raised David up from the pasture. God who took a shepherd boy and made him king. God who defeated all David’s enemies. God who made his name famous in the region. It is God who will continue to give David success as he sits on throne and it will be God who will guarantee his dynasty for eternity.
What is David’s response? Does he argue with God? Does he point out all the work he’s put in over the course of his life? Does he seek to take credit for any of his accomplishments? Not at all. David humbles himself before the Lord. He falls on his knees in worship and praises God for all He has done. “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that should have brought me to this point?” (2 Samuel 7:18 NET) As David reflects on all that has happened in his life, he immediately turns to praise. He gives God all the glory. He gives God all the credit.
Who gets the credit for your life? It’s a very important question. Especially for a Christian. Do I claim all the credit for myself or do I give glory to God? When I look back on my life, do I attribute all I’ve accomplished to my own hard work or do I thank God for the grace He has given me? When I consider all I have experienced, do I consider it the natural result of my own effort or can I see God’s hand at work, carefully orchestrating things according to His sovereign will? The fundamental reality is this…I didn’t choose where I would be born. I didn’t choose my family. I didn’t choose my gifts and talents and abilities. God gave me all of those things. He blessed me in more ways than I could possibly imagine and it is what has allowed me to achieve whatever success I have achieved in my life. What about you?
Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18