Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel forever. He chose Judah as leader, and from the tribe of Judah he chose my family, and from my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.
[1 Chronicles 28:4 NIV]
Max Lucado’s book “Facing Your Giants,” speaks to how we face life’s disappointments, or even stronger, life’s defeats. Many times we wonder why God lets things happen. Sometimes we blame God and become bitter. However, we can change our whole outlook on the situation by changing a single, simple word.
In the Old Testament, David wanted to build a temple. As Lucado writes, “And who better than he to do so? Hadn’t he, literally, written the book on worship? Didn’t he rescue the ark of the covenant? The temple would have been his swan song, his signature deed. David had expected to dedicate his final years to building a shrine to God.”
That was David's intention, “King David rose to his feet and said: ‘Listen to me, my fellow Israelites, my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it.” 1 Chronicles 28:2 NIV.
David had all intentions to do so. He made the preparations. Then what happened— a conjunction. A “but.” In 1 Chronicles 28:3 it says, “but God said to David ... ”
It’s a no go on the building the temple. You are a warrior not a builder. As Lucado writes in his book, here is what happened to David: "I had intended … I had made preparations … But God … "
You may know of someone who has had this experience, or maybe that someone is you. Plans for new career. Plans for a family or a successful marriage. Retirement plans. And then you are hit with a “but God” moment in life. How does one respond?
If you look at the story of David, he followed the “but God” with a “yet God.”
“Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel forever.”
David trusted God and His different plan for him. David faced the monster of all disappointments with “yet God.” David trusted. His “but God” became a “yet God.”
Who’s to say yours won’t become the same?