1 Chronicles 28:3
But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.'
It was my turn last Wednesday to teach in our Ladies Lifegroup. From the list passed around, the chapter ‘When God is Silent’ kinda popped-up and so I chose it. We all identified with the feeling of unrest and insecurity when (already) yearlong prayers were met with (another) long-er waits, and sometimes we wish God would just say No to our face. But there was a time in my life when No was the most painful answer and waiting was my plea. I remember even saying ‘I’d wait ‘til my old age, just please don’t say No Lord’. But still He did. To my persistence, His exact words were: ‘That is enough. Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.’ It was loud, firm and decisive. I couldn’t even cry. That day, I was so conscious I was standing before a holy God, and I had to bow down in fear. It was so humbling.
In today’s chapter, we read that David summoned all Israel’s important leaders to assemble at Jerusalem. He was already very old here and everyone responded in urgency knowing it could possibly be the last words of their great king. We would expect him to choose the best chapter from his pool of great feats and wonderful psalms for his speech. Instead, he flipped back to 2 Samuel 7 and shared his meeting with God. It was that page when God said No to his deep desire to build Him a temple. I thought, why would he highlight that God could say No to Israel? Isn’t it quite discouraging to those he’ll leave behind? Isn’t it better to post that God answers prayers? But if we read on we’ll agree it was his best legacy to pass on. To these leaders and especially to his heir, he reiterated the need to carefully hear from God. To go when they’re given a yes, and to accept a No if He says so. They have to acknowledge Him as God. Otherwise, they will miss out on all His good inheritance.
As parents to toddlers, there’s never a day that No is not heard inside the house. We’ve always been advised to be positive with the word, meaning rename it, to also minimize their echo-rebound. On the same note, critics to Christianity said the Bible lost its appeal when it chose to be too NO-centered. That it gives a picture of an authoritative God and a very tight life. In this same chapter, David refuted that notion. God may have said No to him, but that was pale compared to the long list of unmerited yes favors he received from Him. I myself am grateful now that God gave me a No years back. The blessings definitely far outweigh the pain. He knows better than I. Let’s hold on to the truth that His goodness flows in both His yes and no answers. There’s no bitter taste in Him. It actually even gets better every time :>
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