When God Says "No"
If you have ever prayed to God, you have experienced the situation when you just know that God is going to grant you what you are asking for. Because God is a benevolent God, we just know that the implied answer to our petition is going to be a “yes†but then we come away disappointed because He said “no†to our request. An answer of “no†is taken by many as a rejection or defeat. Is God not pleased with me? Why me? What must I do to get a “yes†answer?
Such was the situation with King David’s desire to build a permanent house or home for God. Since the time of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, God’s Tabernacle had been a tent which fit the nomadic wanderings of His people, Israel. However now, the Israelites were settled in the Promised Land and David had a palace, yet God’s residing place with His people was still in a tent. Initial inquiries by David to the prophet Nathan elicits a go-ahead message on the temple project, “for the Lord is with you.†(2 Samuel 17:3b) However, the Lord came to Nathan that night in a vision with a different game plan. In the vision, God reminds David (via Nathan) that He took a shepherd boy and made him a king and a mighty warrior and leader of His people Israel. The Israelites were content in their current situation, for they were at peace with their neighbors. God goes on to say that He will establish a House of David, a throne line that will last forever. However, your son, not you, will build my temple; he will be the first of the line of the House of David.
“‘The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’†2 Samuel 7:11b-16
As we all know, David’s throne line lives on forever in his descendant of the House of David, Jesus Christ, our Messiah, the Son of the Living God.
As is the case in so many of our requests to God, a “no†answer often means “not yet†or “I have something better in mind.†As impatient human beings, a “no†answer doesn’t sit well. Look at the story of Joseph. A bright young teenager, a bit arrogant at times, Joseph showed off one too many times before his older brothers. A plot was hatched and they sold him off to slave traders headed for Egypt. Sidelined in Pharaoh’s prison for a time, God honed Joseph’s character. We can only imagine his prayers to God, that he got a lot of “not yet†answers. He later rose to become second in power next to Pharaoh. Standing before his brothers years later…
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.†When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. Genesis 45:4-5
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. †And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:19-21
There in the palace of Pharaoh, Joseph came to fully understand the events of his life which at times looked like God had rejected him or possibly just forgotten about him. He realized that in God’s infinite wisdom, there was indeed a better plan for his life.
Each of us have cried out to God as our marriage relationships broke down. Those with strong faith understood the “no†or “not yet†answers and waited patiently with God for His healing powers to work modern-day miracles in their marriage relationships. However, most of us found ourselves lacking in the faith department and needed more time to develop a relationship with God. God is patient with each of us as He wants us to come to Him willingly, by accepting His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death —even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11
Therefore fellow standers, stand patiently in hope and faith while God turns His “no†and “not yet†answers into “yes†answers for you, to the glory of God the Father.
Standing firm until parted by death,
Ben in Texas
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
If you have ever prayed to God, you have experienced the situation when you just know that God is going to grant you what you are asking for. Because God is a benevolent God, we just know that the implied answer to our petition is going to be a “yes†but then we come away disappointed because He said “no†to our request. An answer of “no†is taken by many as a rejection or defeat. Is God not pleased with me? Why me? What must I do to get a “yes†answer?
Such was the situation with King David’s desire to build a permanent house or home for God. Since the time of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, God’s Tabernacle had been a tent which fit the nomadic wanderings of His people, Israel. However now, the Israelites were settled in the Promised Land and David had a palace, yet God’s residing place with His people was still in a tent. Initial inquiries by David to the prophet Nathan elicits a go-ahead message on the temple project, “for the Lord is with you.†(2 Samuel 17:3b) However, the Lord came to Nathan that night in a vision with a different game plan. In the vision, God reminds David (via Nathan) that He took a shepherd boy and made him a king and a mighty warrior and leader of His people Israel. The Israelites were content in their current situation, for they were at peace with their neighbors. God goes on to say that He will establish a House of David, a throne line that will last forever. However, your son, not you, will build my temple; he will be the first of the line of the House of David.
“‘The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’†2 Samuel 7:11b-16
As we all know, David’s throne line lives on forever in his descendant of the House of David, Jesus Christ, our Messiah, the Son of the Living God.
As is the case in so many of our requests to God, a “no†answer often means “not yet†or “I have something better in mind.†As impatient human beings, a “no†answer doesn’t sit well. Look at the story of Joseph. A bright young teenager, a bit arrogant at times, Joseph showed off one too many times before his older brothers. A plot was hatched and they sold him off to slave traders headed for Egypt. Sidelined in Pharaoh’s prison for a time, God honed Joseph’s character. We can only imagine his prayers to God, that he got a lot of “not yet†answers. He later rose to become second in power next to Pharaoh. Standing before his brothers years later…
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.†When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. Genesis 45:4-5
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. †And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:19-21
There in the palace of Pharaoh, Joseph came to fully understand the events of his life which at times looked like God had rejected him or possibly just forgotten about him. He realized that in God’s infinite wisdom, there was indeed a better plan for his life.
Each of us have cried out to God as our marriage relationships broke down. Those with strong faith understood the “no†or “not yet†answers and waited patiently with God for His healing powers to work modern-day miracles in their marriage relationships. However, most of us found ourselves lacking in the faith department and needed more time to develop a relationship with God. God is patient with each of us as He wants us to come to Him willingly, by accepting His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death —even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11
Therefore fellow standers, stand patiently in hope and faith while God turns His “no†and “not yet†answers into “yes†answers for you, to the glory of God the Father.
Standing firm until parted by death,
Ben in Texas
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
