¹⁷ So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.

¹⁸ Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,

“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ¹⁹ And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?

²⁰ “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. ²¹ Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.

²² “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! ²³ What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way. ²⁴ You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.

²⁵ “And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. ²⁶ And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.

²⁷ “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’ ²⁸ For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. ²⁹ And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”

2 Samuel 7:17-29

Dear God, even with what Nathan had prophesied to him before, David still didn’t have the complete picture. There’s no way he could have. When the writers of Ruth wrote down the story of David’s great-grandmother, they only had the pieces of the puzzle that lead to David and maybe Solomon. There’s no way they could no how it would lead to Jesus. And what kind of King Jesus would be–to the whole world. David was honored and humbled by the prophecy, but he was also ignorant as to what it truly meant. Frankly, he’d have been more humbled and awed by the whole truth, even as even what I know of your plan is probably still just a little part of your plan.

As for me, I have work to do today. Help me to do it well. I’m no David. I’m no Abraham, Elijah, or Moses. I’m not even an Andrew, Bartholomew, or Mark. I just one little guy sitting in his little house in a small town. Thank you for doing some little things through me and in me. Even in my little way, I do feel a little like David as he goes to sit before you and just ask, “Who am I that you have brought me this far?” No, you didn’t call me so that I can just revel in your love and sit in a little self-made cocoon. You created me so that I could develop a relationship with you through worship and service. Help me to worship and serve well today.

Father, I guess that’s it. You won’t use my life like you used David’s, and you don’t have to in order for me to know you love me. I love you, Lord. I lift my voice to worship you. Oh, my soul, rejoice! Take joy my King in what you hear. Let it me a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen