“Therefore say this to my servant David that this is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says: ‘I took you from the sheep-yards, from following the sheep, to make you chief over my people, over Israel. I have been with you wherever you went; I have destroyed all your enemies ahead of you; and I am making your reputation great, like the reputations of the greatest people on earth.'”-2 Samuel 7:8
So let’s get one thing straight.
Not everything David and the Israelites believed about the Lord was off the mark.
But a lot of it was.
Why?
Because over the centuries, they’d drifted from the only source of God’s truth.
Of course, I’m talking about the Torah.
What else would I be talking about?
The bottom line is that the five Books of Moses had been sidelined.
The Priesthood had lost its way.
So uncensored divine truth was hard to come by.
But here’s the kicker homies.
We have no excuse for being in the same mess.
Yet we are in the same freakin’ mess!
Back then, only the King of Israel and the High Priest had Torah scrolls, and they were crazy expensive and took forever to make.
Regular folks?
They didn’t have direct access to God’s Word.
They only knew about God from what they saw in daily life or heard from their leaders.
We can’t make those same excuses.
Why?
Because we’ve got Bibles everywhere.
Do you know a Christian or Jew who doesn’t own at least one?
Even if you don’t own one, a quick Google search can bring up any part of the Scriptures you want.
Still, despite this…
Like ancient Israel was in David’s time…
We’re tangled up in traditions and teachings shaped more by human opinions, politics, and culture than by God’s truth.
Ya feeling me here?
Too often, what we call “divine truth” is just a blend of customs and political correctness that helps us fit in with the world.
And that’s the problem.
Fortunately, we have a loving and patient God who can see into our hearts (minds)…
Just as He saw into David’s heart.
The Lord knew David felt guilty for living in a luxurious palace while God didn’t even have a proper house.
On the other hand, David’s guilt was rooted in pure theological error.
David thought God needed a Temple.
That wasn’t true.
David thought God needed human help to make things happen.
That wasn’t true.
David thought the Lord needed to be nearby, so he could call on Him whenever necessary…
That also wasn’t true.
That’s why the Lord had to correct every one of these false assumptions by delivering a message to him through the prophet Nathan.
So here’s your takeaway for today.
God doesn’t need anything from us.
He doesn’t need fancy buildings or our human assistance.
In fact, our human help can hurt more than it helps.
At the end of the day, what He really wants is our trust…
And our obedience to His Torah.
Sure, like David, we might get some things wrong about Him.
But as I just said, the Lord’s love and patience are constant.
So lemme close by asking you this:
Are you willing to put down your manmade ideas and let God show you who He really is?
That’s where real faith begins my friend.
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