How Long?
Reflection: “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?” Such are the cries of the psalmist’s heart today. Anybody who has been a Christian for any length of time will know that often God’s timing is much different than ours. We live in a world of instant gratification and “what have you done for me lately.”
With the rise of the internet and technology, we are used to getting results in nanoseconds. And yet, we know God doesn’t always work that way. We see David’s struggle in Psalm 13, as he waited to have victory over his enemies. Then, in 1 Chronicles 17, we see that even though David had defeated all his enemies through God’s intervention, he still had to wait to see God’s house built. Today God tells David that he will not get to see the temple built but his son, Solomon, will build it for God.
And today God makes a “huge” promise to David that through his line and house there will be a kingdom built that will last forever. So more importantly than the earthly temple that would be built that was temporary in nature, God’s kingdom and rule would be established forever. That is why in Acts when Paul and Barnabas receive so much resistance from the Jewish leaders it doesn’t make sense to us. After all they knew of these promises, and yet were more interested in building their own kingdom and protecting their status, that they missed on God’s kingdom coming through Jesus.
As we seek to be faithful to the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations and baptizing and teaching in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; there will be times of discouragement for us. We will wonder it takes so long for people’s hearts to be changed and become part of this mission with us. But just as God was faithful to David in time and in time fulfilled the promise through His Son, God will be faithful to us and most importantly be with us! Just as the Gentiles were reached through the Jewish resistance, so God will extend His kingdom through our ministries in ways we could not predict or imagine, if we are open to it.
God help us to have the “long” view on your kingdom. Help us each day to be open to how you can use us to help the promise be fulfilled in our day until take us home in your timing. Amen.
Psalm 13
1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
1 Chronicles 17
God’s Promise to David
17 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” 2 Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.” 3 But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:
4 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. 5 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. 6 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders[a] whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 7 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. 9 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 10 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.“‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’”15 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
David’s Prayer
16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 17 And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men. 18 “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, 19 Lord. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises. 20 “There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 21 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 22 You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God. 23 “And now, Lord, let the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised, 24 so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you. 25 “You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you. 26 You, Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant. 27 Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”
Acts 13:48-14:7
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
In Iconium
14 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel.
God says, “From this time forward I make you hear new things, hidden things that you have not known.” Isaiah 48:6
Let anyone with ears to hear listen! Luke 8:8
Holy Redeemer, as we face another weekend, enable us to spend quality time in communion with you. Touch our listening ears and teach us how to have a closer walk with you. In your name we pray. Amen.
With the rise of the internet and technology, we are used to getting results in nanoseconds. And yet, we know God doesn’t always work that way. We see David’s struggle in Psalm 13, as he waited to have victory over his enemies. Then, in 1 Chronicles 17, we see that even though David had defeated all his enemies through God’s intervention, he still had to wait to see God’s house built. Today God tells David that he will not get to see the temple built but his son, Solomon, will build it for God.
And today God makes a “huge” promise to David that through his line and house there will be a kingdom built that will last forever. So more importantly than the earthly temple that would be built that was temporary in nature, God’s kingdom and rule would be established forever. That is why in Acts when Paul and Barnabas receive so much resistance from the Jewish leaders it doesn’t make sense to us. After all they knew of these promises, and yet were more interested in building their own kingdom and protecting their status, that they missed on God’s kingdom coming through Jesus.
As we seek to be faithful to the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations and baptizing and teaching in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; there will be times of discouragement for us. We will wonder it takes so long for people’s hearts to be changed and become part of this mission with us. But just as God was faithful to David in time and in time fulfilled the promise through His Son, God will be faithful to us and most importantly be with us! Just as the Gentiles were reached through the Jewish resistance, so God will extend His kingdom through our ministries in ways we could not predict or imagine, if we are open to it.
God help us to have the “long” view on your kingdom. Help us each day to be open to how you can use us to help the promise be fulfilled in our day until take us home in your timing. Amen.
Psalm 13
1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
1 Chronicles 17
God’s Promise to David
17 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” 2 Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.” 3 But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:
4 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. 5 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. 6 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders[a] whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 7 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. 9 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 10 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.“‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’”15 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
David’s Prayer
16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 17 And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men. 18 “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, 19 Lord. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises. 20 “There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 21 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 22 You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God. 23 “And now, Lord, let the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised, 24 so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you. 25 “You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you. 26 You, Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant. 27 Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”
Acts 13:48-14:7
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
In Iconium
14 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel.
God says, “From this time forward I make you hear new things, hidden things that you have not known.” Isaiah 48:6
Let anyone with ears to hear listen! Luke 8:8
Holy Redeemer, as we face another weekend, enable us to spend quality time in communion with you. Touch our listening ears and teach us how to have a closer walk with you. In your name we pray. Amen.
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