The Word of God recounts David’s career with wonderful clarity. God watches over him and David is obedient. David puts his life in the Lord’s hands on a regular basis. He has learned to trust that the Lord has his best at heart. And God is faithful and blesses. David builds a wonderful new home for himself then goes to the tabernacle to thank God.
He finds the contrast between his home and the house of the Lord upsetting. He wants to make it right by building a temple, but the Lord refuses the offer. Then one of the greatest promised blessings in the Bible is given to David because of his good intention.
I remember coming out of college with lots of ideas to revolutionize the church. I had Bible studies I had been taught that I was eager to teach. Some of the ideas were well-received. Some of the ideas, not so much. Now, 40 years into my ministry, I am still having ideas. Some are probably great. The jury is still out. Mixed in there are some that stink. I just don’t know which is which. But I don’t have to have the future all sorted and a guarantee of success in order to try.
Do you sometimes intend great things for God and they don’t come off? God is blessed by our good intentions whether or not things work out. We want to save the lost, start a church or begin a new ministry in our church. We want to make things right, or heal a relationship or pray for a miracle for a dying friend and sometimes that doesn’t happen. The Lord accepts it all as worship.
God is blessed by good intent.
Russell Carle
