It was an ordinary evening in 1 Chronicles 17 following an extraordinary event. David had built a tabernacle to bring the ark of God back to His people for the first time in 92 years. It was set in the midst of that newly erected transitional housing. Offerings were offered. Blessings were spoken. And the priests were immediately put to work. As the bustle of activity commenced, David sang in psalms. And all the people praised the LORD in response. With trumpets and cymbals and musical instruments and voices. And then everyone departed. Every single person. They all went home. As did David.

It was later that evening as David was sitting at home in the afterglow of the holy euphoria, that he chatted with a friend. Musing about what had just transpired. Still thinking about that golden ark now safely in its transitional housing. And something began stirring in him. Although what had just happened was overwhelming and glorious and Spirit-filled, something didn’t sit right.

He looked around at his palatial cedar walls. The walls erected for a king. And began thinking out loud. “Look at this place. The palace that I live in. Built from the most prized cedar trees that were imported from over 100 miles away,” he said, shaking his head. “And the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under tent curtains.”

Isn’t that when the biggest ideas hit? Out of nowhere? When you’re talking about nothing with a close friend? David had a dream come out of left field. A huge, multi-faceted, over the top kind of dream. One for which there was no precedent. 1 Chronicles 17

David wanted to build a house for God

The tabernacle had been transitory for nearly 500 years. And David wanted to build something permanent. Nathan, who was sitting there with him, happened to be a prophet. And he gave his gut reaction. 1 Chronicles 17

“Go do it. God is with you!” Because, really, why wouldn’t God be part of that dream? It was pure, born out of the best of intentions, and for His glory. Where’s the problem?

But that night, God corrected Nathan and put him in the uncomfortable and very necessary position of clarifying a misspoken word. And, in doing so, Nathan had the holy privilege of speaking one of the chief Messianic prophecies in the entire Old Testament.

Nathan had to go back and tell David, “Hey, remember earlier when we were talking and that idea you had and I was stoked and told you that God fully supported it? Well, really…

God said, “No.”

1 Chronicles 17:4

God said no. He could have just left it at that. He does it that way sometimes—when prayers go unanswered and there’s not any specific reason why. Sometimes God’s no is His silence for awhile, and it’s not until some time goes by that you begin to recognize the glory in it (like Paul did when he begged God repeatedly to remove the thorn from his flesh). It wasn’t until after a few fervent prayer-conversations that God spoke to Paul, gently delivering the most powerful promise: that His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:7-8).

And then there’s Joseph, who begged God repeatedly for reprieve—from the pit he was thrown into and left for dead. Reprieve from being sold into slavery in Egypt. Reprieve from false allegations that led to false imprisonment. God never spoke to Joseph directly. Yes, he spoke through Joseph, and the story stretching from Genesis 37 all the way to Genesis 45 repeatedly describes God being with Joseph. But all that he had to go on was a dream he had as a little boy that seemed impossible.

Sometimes God says no without a word or an explanation. Other times, He attaches an incredible prophecy to His no, even though it’s nothing that you had hoped for, dreamed of, or planned on.

Nathan spoke powerfully into David’s no with promises of goodness and truth that lasted for ten incredible verses—words that would be a profound influence on the Messianic hope until Jesus came. And David took it all and sat before God and began to verbally process everything that was just spoken to him with the only One who knew what it all truly meant. 1 Chronicles 17

David didn’t get angry at God’s “No.” 1 Chronicles 17
He didn’t get frustrated. 1 Chronicles 17
He didn’t get confused. 1 Chronicles 17

David was humbled, and overwhelmed in the best possible way. And he prayed the same exact words that Mary did when she was told of an unexpected and very holy pregnancy that was coming her way as a fulfillment to the promise that Nathan had just spoken: “Let it be, exactly as You have said.”

David heard God’s no. He accepted it. And then, he turned around and prayed it.

David had it in his heart to do something incredible for God. And God said no, but then shared what He would do for David. And David prayed it. God, may I be so quick to hear when You speak. To recognize when You shift the rudder. And to have the strength to make the same shift in my own heart. To not focus on what I want. But to pray what You have promised.