2 Samuel 7:5, 25; 27 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?…And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said….For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.
After he was settled in as king, David had it in his mind to build a house (temple) for the Lord to dwell in. But the Lord said, “No! You will not build a house for Me, but I will build a house (dynasty) for you.” David’s son, Solomon, ended up building a temple for the Lord to dwell in among his people.
David accepted God’s NO because He trusted God’s will instead of his own. God had a greater answer for David than he could ever have imagined: a descendant of David would become the Eternal King of an Eternal Kingdom. He accepted God’s will in answer to his prayers: “Do as You have said.” He thanked God and praised Him for His awesome promise of a Savior and King from his line.
We also need to remember that God has a greater answer to our prayers than we can understand. Because we believe God’s grace and goodness, we are able to accept God’s NO, for He has something greater in mind. Whether we receive a “No or Yes” to our requests, we accept “Thy will be done.” Whatever disappointments we may have with God we take comfort greater wisdom and goodness. Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good.”