Gospel Reflections #1062: We are Making Unconscious Choices

1 Chronicles 17:3–4 ‘But that night the word of God came to Nathan: “Go and tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build a house for me to dwell in.’”’

This passage depicts the moment when King David expressed his desire to build a magnificent temple for God, only for God to refuse through the prophet Nathan, saying, ‘You shall not build the house.’

This passage illustrates the discrepancy between human goodwill and God’s plan, and lays an important foundation for the ‘Covenant with David’.

David felt a pang of conscience because, whilst he himself lived in a magnificent ‘house of cedar’ (palace), the ‘Ark of the Covenant’—the symbol of God’s presence—was housed in a ‘tabernacle’ (tent).

He therefore consulted the prophet Nathan about building a temple.

At first, Nathan, recognising this as a wonderful act of goodwill, immediately agreed, saying, ‘Do all that is in your heart.’

However, that very night, God intervened.

David’s motives were 100 per cent pure goodwill, stemming from his love for God.

Even the prophet Nathan, viewing the matter from a human perspective, gave it his full endorsement, saying, ‘That is a good thing.’

Yet God’s answer was ‘NO’.

From this, we can learn a lesson of faith: ‘No matter how righteous one’s motives or goodwill may be, they do not necessarily align with God’s plan or timing.’

When we try to do good, or when someone asks us for advice, we give our very best advice with the best of intentions, without considering that our own thinking might be mistaken.

Yet God puts the brakes on our thoughts.

When we realise this, will we be able, like Nathan, to humbly retract what we have said?

We often do not even remember what we have said, but God knows everything.

I believe that taking responsibility for one’s words means humbly offering one’s words and actions to God.

In our thoughts and words, we are making an unconscious choice between obeying God and obeying ourselves.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.