Sometimes God Says No

 

David wanted to build a temple for God.

But God said no.

It was mostly due to the fact that there was no peace in David’s life.  He was a warrior king who lived in the midst of turmoil, and with ongoing engagement of continual bloodshed.

But yet, even in all of this, there was a calling on David’s life.
Even still, God said He would make David famous.

In 1 Samuel 7:9 God tells David, “Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on earth.”

It was a promise God had made to one other person ever in all of the Bible and that was Abraham.

And strangely enough, the plan to use David would include expanding kingdoms and defeating enemies.

All of this would only serve to further David’s involvement in war and with bloodshed.

So it got me thinking.

Maybe sometimes God says no because there’s a greater charge coming ahead that will yield greater results for obedience.

God had said no to the building of the temple.
But He still said yes to using David in great ways.
God had said no to one thing, in order to say yes to the greater thing.

And God’s yes would serve not only for the purpose of God’s glory - but David’s good.

And the truth is that David may have otherwise only “settled” for the lessor yes, and missed His glorious usefulness altogether.

Sometimes God says no.
But it’s always for the greater yes.