Dream House

1 Chronicles 17:4

Go and tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in’.

I woke up yesterday morning feeling so weak and heavy. I think the headache grew worse when I saw the already-messy house shouting my name. But I promised my husband I’ll keep myself in bed, and so I did. Lying there, I started praying. My first liner was ‘Lord, what do you want me to tell you?’ It was silence for a while. Then in faith I uttered praises. Soon the house issue surfaced and it vented out frustrations I never thought I had. I was just asking Him for provision so we could paint the homeschool room. I went sobbing when our conversation moved to having a house of my own. The cry was more because of the struggle between want and need. Am I asking a lot or should I accept my lot? Should I plead in faith or must I count His blessings instead?  

When my words finally died down, I opened the Bible for my daily reading and guess what? It was that account when David and God were talking about houses!  I had to stop at every verse because I had to sob my heart out. It was undeniably God talking to me! Of course, I prayed not to take it according to my desired-interpretation. So here’s the story: When David was finally settled as king, with a beautiful city named after him, he saw the discrepancy between his cedar house and the Lord’s tent.  He saw it in his heart to build God a temple and the prophet Nathan even encouraged it. But God said no. That wasn’t His plan, nor His command for anyone. It‘s never people doing something great for God. It has always been God displaying wonders to His people. He brought David’s remembrance to how he was taken from following the flock to be ruler over Israel. And if David thought that was it, here’s more: ‘I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth; I will provide a place for My people Israel so that they can have a home of their own;  I will subdue all your enemies; your offspring will be the one to build a house for me; and I will establish your throne forever’. It was like God saying, ‘You want to build a house for me? No son. I will build a house for you!’ 

I may not have the luxury of sitting in a cedar palace, but I’ve once and many times told God how it’d be better if we’re well-off so we could best serve Him. This chapter is proof it doesn’t work that way. He need no earthly things to build His heavenly kingdom. Bringing it home, I saw the foolishness of seeking after beautiful structures when His gift is to establish our family in a loving relationship with Him: ‘I will be (your) Father and (you) will be my son.. and I will never take My love away from (you)’.  Anything better than that? And who said He can’t provide me with a home? He who can orchestrate a chapter to match my heart’s cry, can sure prepare a place for me to match His heart’s delight. Giving has always been heaven’s idea. He can throw open its floodgates for blessings to pour out and we may not have room enough for it. So yes, I will keep asking - - actively praying. For while waiting, I will continue serving and counting daily blessings. That’s my take home. Note yours.