“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing”

— John 15:4-5

This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)

2 Samuel 7:8-11

8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel, 9 and I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place and be disturbed no more, and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel, and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.

This week we conclude our four-week sermon series on David from Samuel 1 and 2. Previously, we have explored relationships of key players in David’s life: David and Goliath, David and Johnathan and Saul, and David and Bathsheba.

This week we look at David’s relationship with God. However, from the start I wanted to switch it up and look at God’s relationship with David, not David and God but God and David. Each of us as we journey through life will find some similarities in our story to David’s. While our story may not match in all the trials and triumphs of David's life, we can certainly agree that life at times is filled with joy and sometimes heartache.

In David’s story and in ours, in every triumph and in every trial, God keeps showing up. God shows up not because David gets it right, but because God is Faithful!

David’s story is not simply about forgiveness and redemption, it is about Faith Formation. It is about the slow shaping of a human heart learning to trust God. Faith is not developed in a moment—it is formed over a lifetime. It is my story and perhaps yours too.

In our scripture, David begins to feel guilty the Ark of the Covenant is kept in a tent while he resides in a palace. To remedy this, David plans to build a temple for the Ark to be sheltered in. God however gently refuses this gesture and informs David that He will build him a temple. A temple not of stone and cedar, but rather a dynasty, a covenant family that will shape Israel and subsequent generations. A kingdom which will endure forever. This kingdom will stretch all the way to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus Christ. A house not built by human hands, but by God’s grace.

God’s grace simply put is the “Active Love of God.” Grace has three steps to it:

Prevenient Grace: God working in your life before you knew it.

Justifying Grace: God standing ready to forgive and restore us.

Sanctifying Grade: God shaping us into the people we were created to be.

Prayer: Gracious and loving God, we thank you for the fact that you are faithful and continue to show up for us. We acknowledge that you walked towards us even before we sought you. We are grateful for your willingness to forgive and restore us. May you continue to mold and shape us into the people we were created to be, Amen.

QUESTION FOR REFLECTION:

Think back to the first time in life you sought a relationship with God?

What is your first time you felt the presence of God?

How has your life been impacted and when you returned to God and sought forgiveness and a clean start?

How do you feel or believe that God is shaping you as a person of faith?

We are never too old to learn and God is never done working on you and your heart. How has your formation of faith grown in your life?

Read Psalm 23 – What does “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” mean to you? Recite this line once a day over the next week and feel God’s grace!

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