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  Scripture:

  1Chronicles 17:2-4 "Nathan said to David [of his expressed plans to build a house for the LORD] 'Do all that you have in mind, for God is with you.' But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: You shall not build me a house to live in."
  

  Observation:

  David is such a shining example of faithfulness - especially so according to the way the writer of Chronicles lays out the story - that Nathan (a prophet) simply assumes that whatever David has in mind will be accepted and blessed by the LORD. Only later - I expect when Nathan is in prayer and meditation - does a clear word from the LORD come to the prophet. It is not the expected word. God does not choose to "rubber stamp" David's plan. It turns out that God is working on a Divine plan that challenges the presumptions of both King and Prophet; both David and Nathan. David assumes that God would appreciate a temple as a measure of honour, glory and luxury.
  Nathan assumes that, having heard God once, he can predict what God's answer to David's query will be. Both are left with a bit of egg on their face. And, yet, by the Grace of God, this passage is not known as "God corrects those chumps, David and Nathan." Rather, it is known as "God's Covenant with David". God doesn't crush their dreams because they failed to obtain proper authorization. Instead, God invites them into the Divine vision and shows them how their plans are simply not big enough for what Holiness hopes to achieve.

• Application:

  I can identify with both David and Nathan. 
  Too often, I come up with a plan and hope God will come along for the ride. This can lead to a placement of "ministries" in the centre of my attention and care. But that holiest of holy places, in fact, belongs to God alone.
  Other times, I get caught by the temptation to provide a quick answer to the questions that people bring to me as their pastor. It can look like I am faithfully drawing upon what God has said and done in the past in order to help guide people into the future God is preparing. But the temptation is based in wanting to occupy myself that sacred space - the center - that belongs only to God. If I can give a sufficiently quick answer, it almost appears as if the answer comes from me. It is an appealing and seductive lie, but a lie nevertheless.

  
  
  

  What about you? 

  
  

  What tends to trip you up as you seek to follow

  
  

  Jesus into the work of the Kingdom?

  
  

  
  

  Prayer:

  Hiking, tenting God; Your willingness to travel light in the process of blessing and redeeming all of creation is a wonderful invitation and a difficult challenge at the same time. Grant us the grace and discernment to divest ourselves of all burdens that would keep us from following You wholeheartedly. Some of those burdens are external things. Many of them are internal thoughts and attitudes. We acknowledge that this work would be impossible without Your prevailing blessing and so we give You both glory and thanks! Amen.