Build Me a House: Why Have You Not Built Me a House?

“Is it you who would build me a house to dwell in?” ~2 Samuel 7:5

Build Me a House

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and buying a gift for your wife or special someone can be tricky for a few reasons. Typically, when you get your wife a gift, you’re getting her something you think she’ll like, but it’s not necessarily something she’s asked for. You can play it safe by going the chocolate and roses route or take a risk and buy her jewelry or something similar you hope is to her liking. You may hit a home run or end up striking out, but hey, it’s the thought that counts…right?

King David was thinking the same thing. He wanted to give God an awesome gift; he wanted to build a

house for God—that’s right, a literal house! He realized, “Here I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent!” (7:2). David recognizes it’s not right for a man to live better than the Creator of the universe. David’s idea is problematic, though, because he’s limiting his thinking to the temporal. By desiring to upgrade God from a tent to a tabernacle to a temple, he’s confining God to the here and now, but even more, than that, he’s thinking of God as confined, and apparently, David thinks he has the answer to fix that.

God asks David, “As long as I have wandered about among the Israelites, did I ever say a word to any of the judges whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” (7). God never asked, “why have you not built me a house?” Instead, “the LORD also declares to you [David] that the LORD will make a house for you.”

David wasn’t thinking of what God wanted; David was thinking of what he thought God needed. Or is it also possible that David was thinking of what he wanted to give to God to make himself greater? The Lord challenges him, “Is it you who would build me a house to dwell in?” (5).

Our relationship with God is a covenant relationship like we have with our spouse, but we don’t want to confuse the two. We give gifts to God by not trying to figure out what we think He needs; no, we give gifts to God by surrendering ourselves to Him. Paul says of himself, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). God wants to use us for His glory and purposes, just like with David.

Surrendering the Gift

For David, this is a deeply humbling experience. I pray that each day you sit in the Lord’s presence and ask, “Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my house that you should have brought me so far?” (18). You may feel like you haven’t achieved what David has, but the Lord has given you more and will give you more than you realize.

Always improve the present moment.