May 3, 2017: SOAP #2708: 2Samuel 7; 1Chronicles 17; Psalm 2; Matthew 20

Scripture:  1Samuel (NIV) 7:4 That night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying:  5  “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? … 17  Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation…. [David’s prayer:]  27  “O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So, your servant has found courage to offer you this prayer.

Observation:  At that time David was living in a beautiful palace and the Ark of the Covenant was in a tent.  In David’s heart, that needed to be corrected.  God saw David’s heart and his desire to build a house for worship that was better than the house he had built for himself.  God had something to say to David.

God had spoken to David in many ways; David had written and sung many songs that are God’s Word.  David is known as a man after God’s own heart.  Surely God would visit David and personally speak about this important matter.  But no!   God spoke to Nathan and sent Nathan to speak to David.

David did not say, “If God wants to speak to me, He will tell me Himself.”  No, David received Nathan’s words as though God had spoken to him personally.

Application:  God has put people in my life to whom I need to listen.  If I cannot listen to others, I will miss some of the important things God is saying to me.  I am finding that the better I know the scriptures, the better I can recognize what God is saying to me though others.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, how you speak to me is your choice; learning to recognize your word is my responsibility.   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!