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28 July 2007
2 Samuel 7 v 8-17
"You must tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD All-Powerful says: I took you from the pasture and from tending the sheep and made you leader of my people Israel. I have been with you everywhere you have gone and have defeated your enemies for you. I will make you as famous as any of the great people on the earth. Also I will choose a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them so they can live in their own homes. They will not be bothered anymore. Wicked people will no longer bother them as they have in the past when I chose judges for my people Israel. But I will give you peace from all your enemies. I also tell you that I will make your descendants kings of Israel after you.
" 'When you die and join your ancestors, I will make one of your sons the next king, and I will set up his kingdom. He will build a house for me, and I will let his kingdom rule always.I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he sins, I will use other people to punish him. They will be my whips. I took away my love from Saul, whom I removed before you, but I will never stop loving your son. But your family and your kingdom will continue always before me. Your throne will last forever.' "
Nathan told David everything God had said in this vision.
David wanted to be like the surrounding kings of that period and build a temple to his God. However, God wanted to remind him that his greatness was not to come from having a temple built but from God's work within him.
David was the youngest son of an insignificant family. He wasn't trusted with anything more than looking after sheep yet this boy was to become a famous king of Israel. The lean lad was to become a great general. What's more, God promised that his family shall rule for the next 300 years and one of his descendants will rule forever (a reference to Jesus).
Sometimes we look for significance by trying to achieve something great rather than looking to the significance that God has already given us.
Lord, help me to see myself as you really see me - as someone worth dying for. Help me not to strive for significance when I already have it in you!
Written by Jon Clarke
2 Samuel 7 v 8-17
"You must tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD All-Powerful says: I took you from the pasture and from tending the sheep and made you leader of my people Israel. I have been with you everywhere you have gone and have defeated your enemies for you. I will make you as famous as any of the great people on the earth. Also I will choose a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them so they can live in their own homes. They will not be bothered anymore. Wicked people will no longer bother them as they have in the past when I chose judges for my people Israel. But I will give you peace from all your enemies. I also tell you that I will make your descendants kings of Israel after you.
" 'When you die and join your ancestors, I will make one of your sons the next king, and I will set up his kingdom. He will build a house for me, and I will let his kingdom rule always.I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he sins, I will use other people to punish him. They will be my whips. I took away my love from Saul, whom I removed before you, but I will never stop loving your son. But your family and your kingdom will continue always before me. Your throne will last forever.' "
Nathan told David everything God had said in this vision.
David wanted to be like the surrounding kings of that period and build a temple to his God. However, God wanted to remind him that his greatness was not to come from having a temple built but from God's work within him.
David was the youngest son of an insignificant family. He wasn't trusted with anything more than looking after sheep yet this boy was to become a famous king of Israel. The lean lad was to become a great general. What's more, God promised that his family shall rule for the next 300 years and one of his descendants will rule forever (a reference to Jesus).
Sometimes we look for significance by trying to achieve something great rather than looking to the significance that God has already given us.
Lord, help me to see myself as you really see me - as someone worth dying for. Help me not to strive for significance when I already have it in you!
Written by Jon Clarke
