Worship!

Worship!

Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 2 Samuel 7:22 KJV

If you wonder still why David is called a man after God's heart, read the entire chapter where today's extract is taken from. David had fought wars and now had peace all around, and for other men, it would have been a time to sit back, relax and enjoy life. Hezekiah got an extension of life for 15 years, and we see how he lived his final years, even having a child that probably was the worst king in Judah. David had peace all around him, had a beautiful palace for himself, and his first thought was to build a house for the ark of God. 

Let us bring this home to ourselves: how do I handle convenience and comfort? Do they make me careless or push me even more towards God? Could it be that God withholds true riches from men because He has seen their hearts and knows that riches will destroy them? Look at king Saul that God was always comparing king David too. Here was a man who was called by God to be a king, now fighting tooth and nail to install his son as the next king after him, going to the extent of trying to kill the son Jonathan because he was a friend to David. Does wealth make me insane? How do I handle money? The answer gives a window into the state of my heart, and could determine the experiences that God has brought my way over the past few years.

David had good plans, but God had even better ones. David wanted to build a house for the ark of God, maybe thinking God needed a physical house to live in. God appreciated the thought, but He made it clear: "I really do not need a physical house to live in". But for you, David, I am the one that will build you a house. This was the establishment of an eternal dynasty for the house of David. Saul fought tooth and nail for it; God offered it to David, simply because he had the right heart. 

As I go through life and experience all the things God will bring my way, I have to be careful how I respond, and the things that build up in my heart. Do I see God at work in all areas of my life, or have I limited Him to a few rooms? Does He have total control or limited access? It takes a totally surrendered heart to speak the words of today's extract; they flow out of a heart that has experienced God in a special way. I may not have seen God physically, but there is no doubt as to the evidence of His Presence in my life. I may not be able to point out His physical form, but my life is a loud expression of His touch.

Like David here, I come with a heart that appreciates all that God has done. I may not have everything I want, but I know the God who is all that I need. David may have spoken about what he heard about God, but I have the additional privilege of also seeing God at work in and around me. The only expected response should be worship and appreciation. When I think of all He has brought me through, and all I have recieved from Him, what needs could be so great that they would lead to ingratitude? I just worship and praise God for who He is. That is enough for me. His time of favour is here.