Nathan here does what I believe most of us would do. David feels guilty that he has a nice house
but the Lord doesn't. David is prepared
to go on a building program and asks Nathan's advice. Nathan's response is, "Go for
it." Would anyone doubt that was
what God wanted David to do? Later,
however, Nathan hears from the Lord on the matter, that the Lord actually
doesn't want David to do this. When the
time comes, one of David's offspring will indeed build a house for the Lord but
now is not that time. This is no
condemnation of David that he won't be allowed to build that house, the promise
is that the Lord will build David's throne and make his name great. The story is a reminder that in all things we
are to pray before we speak, God's wisdom sometimes is in conflict with the
wisdom we get from the world. Sometimes what
makes perfectly good sense to us is not in keeping with His plans. Ever had that experience?
Just after a miraculous feeding of four thousand people the Pharisees
come and ask for a sign and instead receive what must have been an incredibly
deep sigh from Jesus. Really fellows,
you want a sign, what do you think I just did?
The disciples are a bit slow on the uptake also. Jesus warns against the leaven of the
Pharisees and of Herod (?) and they suddenly become concerned they don't have
any bread in the boat. He just fed a
multitude and they think Jesus is worried about their having no bread with
them. Can't you just see Jesus with His
head down to His chest shaking it side to side at their cluelessness? How many times have we asked for signs after
seeing amazing things or been equally doubtful about His ability to do things
and miss an important teaching point?
Paul worked making tents in Corinth and reasoned in the
synagogue on the Sabbath with the Jews. Even
though he faced opposition in the work of preaching Jesus as the Christ, the
Lord told him to stay. He shook out the
dust from his garments against them but the Lord wasn't done with his work
there. Sometimes we are ready to move on
because it is difficult and God is just getting started. Fortunately, Paul was willing and ready to
hear the Lord speak to Him. The church
in Corinth was one Paul loved, labored and longed for but it was always a place
of difficulty for him as well. You see
why, after all he suffered there he was so upset with their accepting others as
super apostles when he had given blood, sweat and tears in order to preach the
Gospel to them. We have to be able to
listen to Him if we are going to receive wisdom.
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