Daily Acts of Faith: Devotional Practices

SUNDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2024

TEXT: 1 Chronicles 17:1-15

1. Nathan’s Message to David King Davis was now living in his palace. One day he sent for the prophet Nathan and said to him, “Here I am living in a house built of cedar, but the Lord’s Covenant Box is kept in a tent!”

2. Nathan answered, “Do whatever you have in mind, because God is with you.”

3. But that night God said to Nathan,

4. “Go and tell my servant David that I say to him, ‘You are not the one to build a temple for me to live in.

5. From the time I rescued the people of Israel from Egypt until now I have always lived in tents and moved from place to place.

6. In all my traveling with the people of Israel I never asked any of the leaders that I appointed why they had not built me temple made of cedar.’”

7. “SO tell my servant David that I, the Lord Almighty, say to him, ‘I took you from looking after sheep in the fields and made you the ruler of my people Israel.

8. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have defeated all your enemies as you advanced. I will make you as famous as the greatest leaders in the world.

9. I have chosen a place for my people Israel and have settled them there, where they will live without being oppressed any more.

10. Ever since they entered this land they have been attacked by violent people, but this will not happen again. I promise to defeat all your enemies and to give you descendants.

11. When you died and are buried with your ancestors, I will make one of your sons king and will keep his kingdom strong.

12. He will be the one to build a temple for me, and I will make sure that his dynasty continues forever.

13. I will be his father, and he will be son. I will not withdraw my support from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed so that you could be king.

14. I will put him in charge of my people and my king forever. His dynasty will never ends.’”

15. Nathan told David everything that God had revealed to him.

(Good News Translation Holy Bible)

TOPIC: WALKING WITH GOD'S TIME

It is said that God's time is the best. David wanted to build a dwelling place for the Ark of God. He was worried that he lived in a magnificent palace but the Ark of God was not in a good place.

Sadly, some people are not disturbed by the condition of the church, even when there are urgent needs.

God, who is in charge of the affairs of men and understands the proper timing for everything, instructed David not to build a place for the Ark of God because he had shed so much blood in unifying the nation.

Sometimes God says "No" for our own good and with good intentions. He made it clear to David that it is his son that would build a dwelling place for Him. David accepted God's decision without complaining.

QUESTION: Do you always follow God's timing in actualizing your ideas?

PRAYER: Lord God, help me to always follow your timing, no matter how good my ideas or plans may appear. Give me the understanding and strength not to insist on my own plans but to follow Your directions, in Jesus name. Amen.