Chapter 19: One Of God's Noes
Chapter 19: One Of God's Noes
"I had in my heart to build a house." (1 Chron. 28:2,3.)
"AS FOR ME, I had in mine heart to build a house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord." Thus spoke the aged king, and it was a true record. For scarcely had the outbursts of loyalty which greeted him to the throne died away, than he began to plan for the building of a house which should be more worthy of the God he loved than the faded curtains of the tabernacle, stained with the travel and wear of centuries. Was not this very remarkable? He had spent his life among wild outlaws, roughing it on the hills and in caves, familiar with war and bloodshed, and with fierce men as his comrades. He had shed much blood; and one would not have expected him to be so sensitive to the impulse of a noble purpose, or that his soul would have been kept so full of sweetness, only awaiting a fitting occasion for its expression. Yet there it was. Though he was kept so long at rough, distasteful work, he never lost this tender, holy longing to build a house of rest. And ere he died, he took forth once more the ideal of his life, and looked at it wistfully for the last time, ere he laid it aside for ever.
So it is still. Many around us, who are doing rough and uncongenial work, carry within them a fair ideal of some great and lovely thing which they would fain achieve. Some dream of music fills the chambers of harmony. Some vision of golden glory is painted with rich prismatic colours on the windows of the soul. Some scheme of far-reaching benevolence and consecrated service exercises the sleeping and waking thoughts, and keeps the fountains of the heart always pure.
They will yet be missionaries. They will stir men to noble ideals. They will build houses of rest for the weary and heavy laden. They will start fountains flowing which shall carry refreshment far down into the valleys, where the toiling myriads stifle. And as God looks down on them, He says with a smile, "It is well that this is in thine heart." It is well to have such heavenly occupants - well, because when the heart is occupied thus, worse things are compelled to wait without: well, because the pure in heart are blessed: well, because a noble purpose is the parent, here and hereafter, of a noble progeny (I Kings viii. 18).
At first, when Nathan heard the royal suggestion, he welcomed it as the best thing possible. Neither he, nor David, dreamt for a moment that God would say No. Yet so it was. We cannot judge God's way for one another. Like Peter and John, we must learn to say, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" Because things which have seemed the best course possible to our poor human judgment are put aside by the wise love of God. In the morning the prophet had to seek his lord, and tell him as gently as possible that it could not be.
God spoke his "No" very gently. Indeed, it was so wrapt up in promises of the coming child, that the "No" was rather breathed than spoken, rather felt than heard. God always says "No" thus, so as not to break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax; so as not to break the heart of the most timid. If He is not able to remove the thorn in the flesh, He says, "My grace is sufficient," and we are left to infer that our request cannot be granted.
God did not at first give any reason. Only after the lapse of years was the real reason borne in upon the spirit of the king; and he was taught that his disappointment was not due to arbitrary caprice, but because there was an incongruity between his project and his previous wars. God does not give his reasons at the time. He says, "Wait, my child, and trust Me; what thou knowest not now, thou shalt know hereafter. I will tell thee my reason by and by." Then, after the years have passed, the true reason is suggested by a word, a circumstance, an impression, a flash of inspiration.
God sweetly wove his commendation with his" No." How grateful it must have been to David to hear God review his life-purpose, and say that it was well conceived! Those words must have often recurred to him, and been as the tree that sweetened the bitter waters of the brackish desert-pools. All through life, God may hinder us from executing the one purpose on which our hearts were set. There are the demands of home and dear ones, the limitation of our ability, the shackling fetters of circumstances. But at the close and end of all, He will let us know that He detected our high purpose, and was satisfied. The woman who welcomed the prophet, for his Master's sake, shall have an identical reward with his. Will it not repay us for years of deferred hope and delayed achievement when God says to us: "I saw it all; not one pang of pain or throb of desire was unrecognized or unappreciated; I am pleased and satisfied: enter into my joy."
Though God said "No" in one form, yet He fulfilled David's purpose in its noblest intention. The house was built, mainly through David's means, his influence, and provision, and prayers. As the noble temple stood complete and radiant in the sunlight, David's name passed from lip to lip. He was remembered and all his afflictions. It was recorded, how he sware to the Lord, and vowed to the mighty God of Jacob, that he would not give sleep to his eyes, nor slumber to his eyelids, till he had found a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. And as David looked down from heaven, he was content. Is your lifepurpose balked and thwarted? Do your cherished plans miscarry? This were an insoluble problem, if we did not believe that there is a world where the broken purposes of earth are realized on a wider and better scale than we once dared to hope.
And how patiently David bore himself under this rebuff! He was an Eastern tyrant, accustomed to be instantly obeyed; but he bore the frustrating of his life's purpose gently and submissively as a child. He did not turn his face to the wall in a pet. He did not sulk. He did not throw down his tools, and refuse to do anything, because he could not do the thing that he liked best. He said in effect, "It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good." And then he quietly set to work to do the next best thing in accumulating the ample stores which Solomon found ready to his hand, and which made his work comparatively light.
This patience is one of the rarest virtues. We are so apt to fret and fume, and strike work, if God crosses our plans, or seems to deny our request. Would that we could take God's lessons with loving fortitude! Would that we could suit ourselves to his mould of circumstances! Would that we could accept the inferior work, if we may not take the higher:
"Content to fill a little space,
If He be glorified."
Some may be suffering now from the almost stunning blow of one of God's Noes. It seems just now as though life were impossible, and death a sweet release. Be strong, 0h heart, to suffer and wait! Begin to do some other work for God. The load may seem heavy at the outset, but it will become lighter at every step; and ere long, the uncongenial road will open into unimagined beauties.
Yes! compensations will come - in having vindicated God's character; in being owned his child; and in hearing Him say, "Thou didst well in that it was in thine heart."
We know not what we are doing. When we are stopped in one direction, we are gathering force in another. Kingdoms are won by waiting as well as by fighting. John speaks of" the kingdom and patience of Jesus."