The Will for the Deed

T. Spurgeon.

1 Kings 8:17-19

And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.…

I. OUR MASTER IS MOST GENEROUS WITH HIS APPRECIATION. He does not seem to be afraid of spoiling us. He is too good and wise a Father to pamper us, but He is not niggardly with His commendations, as if there were fear of puffing us up, or making us presumptuous. He has other ways of preventing those excesses, but wherever He sees an opportunity to praise, the praise is ungrudgingly given.

1. God did not blame David for any error of judgment. A harder master would have found fault with his servant for his ignorance. Nor does He charge him with presumption. There is no sort of blame. God regarded the motive; since that was pure He approved, so far, the purpose. David thought that it seemed incongruous that while he dwelt in a house of cedar, God should abide within mere curtains. He was jealous for the Lord his God.

2. Moreover, it is evident from this that God never despises the day of small things. So far, it was only in the heart, and, as we know, it was to get very little further. Only in the heart, and yet God could approve, though He Himself knew that the purpose was now to be restrained. You have in your heart many a holy desire, many a blessed aspiration, many a noble ambition. God says to you that He does not despise the day of small things. This is just a seed-corn in the heart, and it may seem to die, to spring up to glorious harvest, or it may actually die. It matters little which if God is in it.

3. Notice next that God actually commends what He eventually forbids.

II. GOD ALWAYS US SOME PERFECTLY RIGHTEOUS REASON FOR DISAPPOINTING HIS PEOPLE. It must he admitted that David's plan appeared not only honourable and reasonable, but most commendable. Nathan, "who was a prophet of the living God, a specially far-seeing and faithful prophet, approved the plan. This he did, not because it was the king s plan, for when occasion demanded he could rebuke King David to his face. Said he, "Do all that is in thine heart, for God is with thee." Yet for all that, God steps in and says, "No." Can you understand this? Of one thing we are certain; God does not break off our threads just out of caprice. It is something other than whim that causes God to step in and blast our gourds. He is not arbitrary. You know that in David's case there were reasons. The time had not fully come, for one thing. The throne was not sufficiently established yet; peace was not by this time perfectly secured. But there was also a personal unfitness. God said to David, "Thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood." That was God's reason, and a sufficient one. In any ease you like to quote there is a reason, though it may not be apparent. There is a reason, a right good reason in every case, why the Lord says, "No, I prefer that this purpose of yours shall be nipped in the bud. You would like to see it grow, but I like to have some buds on My table sometimes." There is a charm about a half-grown flower, is there not? I wonder who of all this congregation needs just such a word as this. You hoped for a nobler service. You did well that it was in your heart, but the Lord is right, you are better in the humbler position; be content to serve Him there.

III. THE LORD NEVER LEAVES HIS DISAPPOINTED ONES WITHOUT COMPENSATION. He never takes away a blessing without giving another in return. If He empties one hand, He fills the other; if He does not allow the plan to come to maturity, He gives some blessing that more than makes up for the denial. None like He can interweave mercy with judgment. What did David get? We have seen what he missed and might have mourned.

1. He gave him credit for originating and cherishing this holy des" . "Thou didst well that it was in thine heart." God's "Well done" is the best compensation that even heaven can give.

2. Then David had the pleasure of preparing for the erection of the temple, the special joy of collecting the material and, as I suppose of designing the building and certain of the vessels.

3. God gives a corresponding blessing to that which He removes. David said, "Lord, I want to build Thee a house," and God replied, "'Tis good, David, that is a kind thought. It cannot be, however, but I tell you what — I will build you a house instead." God said, "I will build thee a house," not a structure of stone and wood and gold and silver, but a living house, a posterity that should ever sit upon His throne. God pays us in our coin sometimes, and if He seems to rob us with one hand He pays us with the other, and pays us in a corresponding fashion.

4. Then the greatest compensation of all was this, the assurance that the work that David could not do should nevertheless be done. "Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house, but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto My name." That sufficed; there could be no murmuring after that.

(T. Spurgeon.)