Doing What Is in Your Heart

"Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. But the Lord said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who will be born to you, he shall build the house for My name'" (2 Chronicles 6:7-9)

The land was at peace from war. The people were joyfully unified under a single king and that was David, the man after God's own heart. And even as he lounged in the beautiful cedar palace that had been built for him out of precious lumber provided by Hiram, king of Tyre, still there was something unsettled in David's heart. You see, he enjoyed a luxurious palatial mansion while the Ark of the Covenant sat in a tent. And to the king such an inequality was just not right. David thus determined in his heart that he would build a true temple for the honor and glory of Jehovah.

In these words, beloved, we hear Solomon, the son of David, speaking to those who gathered for the official dedication of the very temple that David had wanted to build. What had happened, however, was that David had not built the temple but Solomon had! God had spoken to David through Nathan the prophet and had let him know that it simply was not His purpose to allow David to build the temple. Consider with me several key truths relevant to us today, beloved, that can be drawn from the example of the king of Israel desiring to do what was in his heart to do.

Note first that it is always a good thing to genuinely desire to be of service to God. In explaining to David why he could not build the temple, God in no way disparaged the desire that was in His servant's heart. In fact, God went so far as to let David know that he "did well" by having such a desire. Thus, though David's desire to build a temple for God was a very noble purpose, the ultimate purpose of God was nobler still! There may be times in life, beloved, when you and I want very much to do this or that in service to God, but it simply will not be part of God's purpose for us to do that. Whenever that may happen, be encouraged in knowing that God is still well-pleased that such a noble desire is in your heart. That is a good thing!

Note also how David responded to God's gentle but resolute refusal to allow him to build the temple. Today we are so prone to see "foot-stomping" or "name-calling" in the visible church whenever we are not allowed to do whatever it is that we want to do. We see people even leave churches because something they want to see happen does not go their way. That is so very sad indeed! Note closely how David responded to God's "no" by trusting God's judgment and accepting God's nobler purpose over his own noble desire to serve the Lord. How do you and I respond whenever God says "no" to something that is very important to us? It is always a good thing to accept God's nobler purpose when it is different than the desire of our hearts.

But note finally, beloved, how David took God's gentle "no" and turned it into a very positive "yes" in a way that proved not only to be a blessing to his own heart, but to the entire nation of Israel as well.

"Then King David said to the entire assembly, 'My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced and the work is great; for the temple is not for man, but for the Lord God. Now with all my ability I have provided for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, and the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and the wood for the things of wood, onyx stones and inlaid stones, stones of antimony and stones of various colors, and all kinds of precious stones and alabaster in abundance'" (1 Chronicles 29:1-2)

Do you see it, beloved? Instead of stomping his foot or storming away in anger, David accepted from God what he could not do and then settled down immediately to do what he could do! If David could not himself build the temple, then he could gather and provide the materials that Solomon would need to build it. And that is precisely what David did. When God for whatever reason says "no" to whatever it is that you want to do, beloved, know first that as noble as your desire may be, His desire is nobler still. Know also that He is well-pleased with the genuine desire of your heart to serve Him. And know finally that, while He may not let you do what you want to do, you can always be willing to do whatever you can. It is a good thing to always do what we can for God whenever we cannot do what we want to do.

Is there a genuine desire in your heart to serve God? Have you taken it to Him to find if your noble desire fits His ultimate purpose? Are you willing to accept either a "yes" or a "no" and to then do what you can for His glory?

Ron