I Chronicles 17:1–2 “Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.’” Once David was firmly established as king and settled into a palace built of costly cedar, something began to trouble him. The ark of God—the visible symbol of the Lord’s presence—still rested under a tent. The contrast disturbed David’s sense of propriety. God, in David’s mind, deserved better. Surely honor demanded something grander. So, David voiced his intention to Nathan. He would build God a house worthy of His greatness. Nathan immediately affirmed the idea. It made sense. God was clearly with David. David’s motives ... Read More about When Zeal Replaces Listening
Called by God—but Guided How? David, Discernment, and Daily Decisions
I Chronicles 14:8–10 “When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard about it and went out against them. Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of God…” In my last post, I reflected on the truth that God establishes certain fixed realities in our lives—the unchangeable aspects of who we are. The way we think, our physical attributes, our limitations, the things that make us unique are not accidents. In His wisdom, God has established them, whether we would have chosen them or not, and He intends to use them for His glory if we yield them to Him. But that raises a pressing question: what about the things we can change? Our work, careers, ... Read More about Called by God—but Guided How? David, Discernment, and Daily Decisions
Established by God: The Difference Between Being Chosen and Being Secure
I Chronicles 14:2 “And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.” There is a quiet but staggering word in this verse: knew. David did not merely hope, assume, or infer that he was king by God’s favor—he knew it. He understood that his throne was not the result of political maneuvering, personal brilliance, or fortunate timing. The LORD Himself had established him. That insight sets David apart from nearly every other ruler we encounter in the biblical record. In the violent, scheming world of kingship we see throughout II Kings, power is seized through intrigue, betrayal, and bloodshed. Ambitious men claw their way to the top. David did none of this. He was not king because he was ... Read More about Established by God: The Difference Between Being Chosen and Being Secure
When “Right in Our Eyes” Becomes Wrong Before God
I Chronicles 13:3–4 “Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. On December 8, 2025, I wrote an article titled When Good Intentions Meet a Holy God. I hoped that lesson—drawn from II Samuel 6—would be sufficient. I was wrong. Now, standing in I Chronicles 13, a parallel account of the same event, I find myself confronted again by a truth I would rather not revisit. Evidently, God is not finished teaching me here. Chapter 12 celebrates momentum. Mighty men stream in from every corner of Israel. David is established as king. Unity is high. Success is visible. Then, in chapter 13, David does what we would applaud instinctively—he turns his attention ... Read More about When “Right in Our Eyes” Becomes Wrong Before God
When God Meets Us Where We Are
I Chronicles 4:9–10 tells us, “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers… Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my border, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’ And God granted what he asked.” Have you ever tried to read through I Chronicles? The opening chapters feel endless—page after page of genealogies. Hundreds of names we can barely pronounce most belonging to people we know nothing about. Lives lived long ago, quiet and forgotten, leaving no obvious imprint on history. If their names had not been recorded there, they would have passed into complete obscurity. And then, suddenly, something changes. In the middle of all those names, Scripture pauses. One man ... Read More about When God Meets Us Where We Are
What Looks Like Failure to Us Is Never Failure to God
II Kings 24:10-13 – “And at that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzer king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged…and Jehoiachin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself and his mother and his servants and his officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign and carried off all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the kings house…AS THE LORD HAD FORETOLD.” Wow! This passage records one of the darkest moments in Judah’s history. Babylon’s armies marched on Jerusalem. The city was surrounded. Escape was impossible. And then, in a moment of national humiliation, King Jehoiachin did the unthinkable—he surrendered. Not just himself, but his mother, his household, his officials, and the leadership of ... Read More about What Looks Like Failure to Us Is Never Failure to God