2 Samuel 7
Scripture2 Samuel 7:18-1918 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!Observation - What does it say?After conquering Jerusalem, settling into the temple the King of Tyre had built for him there, and bringing the ark of the LORD into Jerusalem next to his palace, David felt it was wrong for him to be living in a grand palace while the ark of the LORD was in a simple tent. He expressed this to the prophet Nathan and the LORD spoke through Nathan to David. The LORD reminded David of how he had promoted David from shepherd to king and then went on to declare he had even greater plans for David’s future.
David didn’t respond with, "Oh yeah! God is lucky to have me... the giant killer, the warrior and great king - I'm pretty awesome. Pshh, of course God would choose me to play a big role in any of his great future plans." Instead he responds in great humility.
Understanding - What does it mean?
Unmerited favor and exalting is what God has in store for the humble.James 4:6 God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.Matthew 23:12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
David sets such a great example for us in his humble response to God's words. In all the great things he had accomplished, he recognized it was all God's doing. He never forgot who he was before God found him and remained humble before God. And, as a result, God continued to promote him!
Life Application
Humble myself!
Taking a moment to reflect on where I came from quickly brings humility. I now find myself agreeing with David, "Who am I, that God would choose me?!" He took me from the addiction, the loneliness, the humble broken state I was in, and not only brought me this far but has spoken to me about my future!
God, your love and grace is amazing! Forgive me for my pride. Uproot any sense of entitlement or ungratefulness from my heart. It’s all about you! Give me a heart that longs to honor you and exalt you. Give me a heart that is centered around loving you and loving others. Amen!
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- Levi Thompson