Day 4 – Changed Plans Are The Best Plans

“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. 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?”

~ 2 Samuel 7:12-18

All through the Old Testament we continue to see a promise fulfilling, covenant keeping God shower grace on frail men who are resting in those promises. Here in 2 Samuel 7 we see David who is a man who went from the runt of his family to God using him for great things. God used David to slay the giant Goliath, to build up the kingdom of Israel and to pen many of the Psalms that we treasure today.

Earlier in chapter 7 we see that in the midst of peace in the kingdom of Israel, David wanting to accomplish one more thing before he died – he wanted to build a temple for the Lord. God’s prophet Nathan heartily agrees with the king that the temple should be constructed immediately. However, God had other plans.

As great of an idea David had, God had a much better plan. God’s promise here is that there would be One who would come after David and would dwarf all that David had ever done. This King would suffer greatly but the Father’s love would never leave Him. He would build an everlasting kingdom that was not dependent on the plans of man or the works of his hands. It would be a house that was entirely built on the name and the power of the Father. It would be a promise to be fulfilled only through the King of all kings who is yet to come:

“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”

This had to be a bit of a sobering moment for David. He had marvelous plans to serve the God who had been so remarkably gracious to him, even in the midst of his own sin and shortcomings. Yet, God took David’s grand plans and blueprints and shoved them to the side. With all of the dreaming, planning and hard work that David probably had put into all of this, he has such a beautiful response to the plans and promise of God. He utters his “Amen” as he sits before the Lord.

David had good plans. God had the best plans. As David had his imagination and dreams captured by his grand plan, God had captured David’s heart. This love for the Father was only strengthened knowing that God was building something even greater than David’s hands would ever build.  

Many of us have tasted the same cup. We have grand plans of the things that we want to do for God – only for God to change them. So how do we respond? Do we pout? Do we shut down?

David sets a great example for us: he sits still to worship and admire God’s great plan. Take time today to admire God’s great plan in your life. See all the twists and turns in your life knowing that He is working in all of it – even the hurt. Take note of God’s great gospel plan with the full knowledge that it is a plan that is flourishing and that one day will see all men sitting before the Father in worship.

Be still before the Lord and His great gospel plan today.

Prayer

Take a few minutes to be still before the Lord. Take note of His grace and working in your life. Also, take time to see the beauty of the gospel spreading all across our planet.

Then take a few minutes to pray that God would give you the strength to trust His plans, even when it comes at the expense of your plans.