[After prophet Nathan revealed God’s Covenant Love to David] The king 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? 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? What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign LORD. Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant. How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! 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. You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O LORD, became their God. 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. 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. 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!’ For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 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 7:18-29, NLT
Dear Nathan, Prophet of the Most High,
Your letter has reached me, and I find myself awash in a sea of emotions, humbled and exalted all at once. I find myself in a state of awe, humbled by the grandeur of God’s promise. How can I be the recipient of such an eternal promise? I am overwhelmed, Nathan, truly overwhelmed. He has offered something far greater, a covenant that transcends time and space, one that will echo through the corridors of eternity.
Who am I, Nathan? Who am I that the God of the universe would choose to establish His kingdom through me? I was but a shepherd boy, tending to my father’s flock, invisible in the eyes of the world. Yet, God saw me. He lifted me from the pastures and placed me on a throne. And now, He promises that my house, my lineage, will endure forever. It’s overwhelming, almost too marvelous to comprehend.
My mind struggles to grasp the enormity of it all. To think that from my lineage will come the Messiah, the One who will bless all nations and bring eternal rest—this is a mystery too great for me. I am but dust and ashes, and yet the Creator of the universe has chosen to make His dwelling among us [1], to establish His kingdom through me. What is man that You are mindful of him, O Lord [2]?
This covenant is not just a promise; it’s a revelation of God’s character. He is a God who keeps His word, whose love knows no bounds. He didn’t have to do this, Nathan. He chose to, out of His unfathomable love and grace. And to know that this covenant is unconditional. It’s a staggering thought, Nathan. For a man who has faltered and failed time and again, this is grace beyond measure. God’s love is not a fickle thing, dependent on my actions; it is steadfast, unchanging, eternal.
And what can I offer in return? My heart swells with gratitude, yet words fail me. All I can do is bow down in worship, offering my life as a living sacrifice [3] to the One who has given me everything. I will strive to walk in His ways, not to earn this promise but to honor the One who has freely given it. I am committed to living in a manner worthy of such a divine promise [4]. May my life be a testament to the faithfulness of our God, the Keeper of Covenants.
In awe of His grace,
David
Share with your friends “How would you respond to God’s promises, even when you might not fully comprehend them?”
[1] John 1:14 said that Jesus “became flesh and made His dwelling among us”
[2] In Psalm 8:4, David actually asked “What is man that You are mindful of him?”
[3] Paul urged us to do the same thing, to offer ourselves to God as “living sacrifice” in Romans 12:1-2
[4] Paul also pleaded that we “live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen” in Eph. 4:1
(from Roger)
Here at 118 days of recovery, I’m having difficulty dealing with relationships. Relationships that existed while I was in active addiction that I carry with me now clean. In the program, I’m learning that the most important relationship above the one I have with my spouse, friends, loved ones, family even is the relationship I have with my higher power. It’s amazing these words are coming out of my mouth or onto this devotion via text because I did not even know god prior to 118 days ago but today, it is he I seek. Even though I have yet to understand the power of this relationship, there is a belief in me, wholeheartedly, that the answers I seek are here, are with him, are with me, as I learn to fully believe and have faith in him. The questions still arise that I don’t know the answers to, but today, I know, that not everything can be explained and not everything needs to be understood by me. I am a byproduct of a power greater than myself. Our world is a clear example of this power at work. In all this rambling lies the answer to todays question. I will respond to gods promises by not questioning everything and continuing to believe that I am the center of the universe. I will respond to gods promises even when I don’t understand them by doubling down and delving deeper into his word and gospel. I will respond to his promises by continuing to build my faith and seek to develop a stronger conscious contact with my higher power. I can’t, he can, today I’ll try and let him. It’s when I take back the reigns and become self absorbed and full of ego that life becomes difficult again. Situations that once baffled me again baffle me. But when I’m able to pause and ask him for guidance and really stay out of my own way, that I feel some relief of the bondage of self. Thank u guys for continuing to show me what faith is abt. Thank u guys for showing me how we can all walk together, no matter how long we’ve had faith. Thanks for helping me see a new way to live. Odaat. God
“I will strive to walk in His ways, not to earn this promise but to honor the One who has freely given it. I am committed to living in a manner worthy of such a divine promise [4]. May my life be a testament to the faithfulness of our God, the Keeper of Covenants.”
None of us deserves God’s Grace and mercy…the promise of his steadfast unconditional love. Even if we may not fully understand God’s ways but we can offer up to him praise and thanksgiving for his faithful eats in our lives. We will choose to honor him through our words and actions but not as a means to earn what is already promised as a gift. God is so patient with us. He has a plan for our lives just like David and wants to use us for his kingdom purpose. God promised good things to all of us who follow him. Help us to follow and put our trust in you at all times. Help our actions reflect your love so that those who don’t know about You God can get a glimpse of your steadfast love.
Despite not fully comprehending, I would just surrender fully to him. Ask him to take control of my life and to help me find that understanding. I trust him fully in what he has in store for me. I know he will adequately lead me as he has always led me. His love and sacrifice strengthens my faith. Which helps me continue to follow him even in times of confusion
I believe the way to respond is whole heartedly agree and be ready to accept his promise even though I may not understand it. The acceptance to an eternal promise may be daunting but taking it day by day with the Lord and letting the Lord work through you is all he expects in my opinion. Obviously gotta show some effort but the Lord will lead the way
I strive to honor God’s promises out of gratitude recognizing, as the passage points out repeatedly, that it’s all because of God’s character and doing, and nothing I’ve done to earn favor for. The last paragraph of the devotion resonates with me as a reminder that all I do can be used to worship Him out of thanks, and not out of an attempt to earn anything more
I would respond to God’s promises with a heart of gratitude. His amazing grace and unfailing love will truly transform our minds, hearts, and lives. It is grand, deep, and yet personal all at the same time. It is something that will take our whole lives to embrace and experience. God’s transformative love will continue to be at work in us to sanctify us to become more like Him. It will spur me on to walk with Him daily and to share His love with others so more can come to know Him. We can love because He first loved us. (From Hoa)
From Rose:
I understand God’s promise but there are things that still rattle my brain sometimes but I guess that’s normal.
I would say that is where Faith comes in; believing when we don’t see. Just as I have always done, I put my faith in knowing that the promise of salvation is there and my obedience isn’t to gain salvation because it is free. Knowing that it’s already promised to me doesn’t mean that I can do whatever I want, it means I still obey because He calls us to obey and because we love and respect our Lord. He is also a God to be feared as we learned last week and so we must understand that God loves us but that doesn’t mean that He will not let the consequences of our disobedience happen to us.
I respond to God’s promises with faith and trust, even if I don’t fully comprehend them. Embrace the belief that God’s plan is ultimately for our good, and seek guidance through prayer and a deepening of the relationship with God to better understand and align with those promises.
Reflecting on my family’s journey, from my grandparents’ conversion to our upbringing in a Christian household, I am reminded of God’s immense grace. It brings to mind the second commandment where God promises, “I will show mercy to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” He not only introduced us to His love but also guided us to this land of opportunities and freedom. Looking back, I realize that there is nothing I can offer in return for His blessings but to live a life of gratitude and faithfulness. Indeed, the core message of the gospel is beautifully simple: God loves us, period.