_{Sorry I missed last week… it was kind of a hectic time.}

1st Chronicles 17:1-14
“Now it came to pass, when David was dwelling in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, ‘See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under tent curtains.’

Then Nathan said to David, ‘Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.’

But it happened that night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD:’You shall not build Me a house to dwell in. For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought up Israel, even to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. Wherever I have moved about with all Israel, have I ever spoken a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’’’ Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the LORD will build you a house. And it shall be when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build Me a house and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.’’’”

At the start of this passage, David comes up with a plan. He doesn’t think it seems right that he is living in a nice house while the Ark is kept in a tent, so he wants to build a temple for it. It seems like a good plan, and even Nathan, the prophet tells him he should go ahead and do it at first.

Then God speaks to Nathan and tells him He doesn’t want David to build the temple. As good a plan as it seemed, it wasn’t in God’s plan for David.

God does reveal part of his amazing plans for David, and says He will have David’s son build the temple.

This story is a good reminder that no matter how good our plans may seem, we need to spend time in prayer about them making sure that they are also a part of God’s plan for us. It also shows us that even though God may not have the same plans for us that we think, He does have some amazing plans for us if we allow Him to take control.