Building: How God Perfects our Prayers Beyond our Expectations 2 Samuel 7.1-17
By Michael A. Milton
This is the promise of our Lord Jesus. David went to God for a building permit. He leaves with a promise of a Savior. David went to God with a vision for a house. God gives him a vision of an eternal kingdom.
III. God's Answer to Our Proposals Is Always the SameGod's answer to David is not unusual in Scripture or in our Christian experience. God's answer to our proposals is always the same: "Jesus." He is always God's response to man's need, man's dreams, even what man desires to do for God. God will not accept what you want to do for Him. He has done it all for you in His Son. I once read that a certain theologian made a mistake in his theology because as his critic put it, "His Christology was too large." I don't think you can make too much of Christ.
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St. Paul, too, had a great Christology: "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you ... was not 'Yes and No'; but in Him it is always 'Yes'. For in Him every one of God's promises is a 'Yes'. For this reason it is through Him that we say the 'Amen', to the glory of God" (
2 Cor. 1:19-20).
Paul was saying that Jesus is the great "Yes" of God. To that we say "Amen". Do you want to glorify God? Buildings can't do it. Plans of greatness can't do it. Your good works, your righteousness, your giftedness can't do it. God will always reject those proposals. Only one thing will be accepted by God, according to God Himself. I read it again: "For this reason it is through Him that we say the 'Amen', to the glory of God" (
2 Cor. 1:20).
Jesus is the Final Blueprint for our salvation as well as for God's own glory. The Lord's answer to David's hopeful plans remains His answer to people's hopeless pleas: Jesus -- God's Yes.
And that is an Approval we can all live with ... forever. Amen.