“Then Kind David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: ‘Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?’ And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O LORD God.” (NIV)

Have you ever said no to a good thing that wasn’t the right thing? Maybe a relationship, job or home? After college all I really wanted to do was to go out and make the world a better place. Had I not gotten engaged to Richard Townley, I probably would have tried to join the Peace Corps. Because I wanted to stay on the East Coast to be near my fiancé, I applied for Teach for America in DC. I got through the first part of the application process but turned down the final interview because, while it seemed like a noble and needed thing to teach elementary school in an impoverished neighborhood in the District of Colombia, in the end it didn’t seem like a good fit for me. Maybe I was applying for the wrong reasons; maybe I was naïve about what it would really take to teach without much training. Ultimately, God had something else for me in Maryland, and it turned out to be the best thing.

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That was not the first or last time in my life I’ve said no to a good thing. There are so many good works for us to do, so many opportunities to consider, roads to walk down, doors to open. It can be overwhelming at times to know which way we should go and which things should get our yes as we seek to serve God and live out our calling.

In the book of First Chronicles, we read that while King David had what seemed like a really good and noble idea, God told him that plan wasn’t his best for David. In the beginning of chapter 17, David tells the prophet Nathan about his idea to build the Lord a temple. Initially, Nathan is on board with this idea and says in verse 2, “Whatever you have in mind do it, for God is with you.” It’s almost like if someone said to me today, “You’re a Christian, right? God’s going to bless whatever you do!” David did have God’s blessing, but maybe he had not consulted God at all about building a temple.

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In fact, God tells Daivd the opposite in verse 4, “You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.” David’s motives for building the temple might not have been self-serving, kind of like my motivation to be a teacher in the inner city. My heart was in the right place to help others. David even points out that God has been dwelling in a tent instead of a more sturdy and permanent house of cedar. David’s idea seems like a noble thing to do, generous and thoughtful to honor his holy God.

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But God makes it clear through the prophet Nathan that building the temple is not God’s best for King David. Someone else will be called to that task. Instead, what God promises David is so much greater than being the temple general contractor: he promises that one of his sons will be on the throne forever! King Jesus would come from the line of David; God’s plan was so much bigger than David could see in his present moment. He wanted to do something great for God, but God would do something even greater through him.

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I invite you to prayerfully consider this coming week where you may be “building a temple” because you think it’s a good idea, rather than waiting on God’s best for you. May God guide you in discerning where you should build and where you should let the next person be the builder, teacher, or leader. God has a unique calling that you won’t miss if you keep in step with him. We are so blessed that he has brought us this far!

God, we praise you today for your sovereignty over all things. Your ways are so much higher than our ways. We know your plans are always for our good. Forgive us for when we make our plans without consulting you and think we know the best way for things to go. Help us trust you with our specific calling, that you will faithfully guide us where to go, where to wait and where to turn, what to build and what to tear down in our lives. Show us how to glorify you in all things, big and small because you deserve all the glory, honor and praise. In your son Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.