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GOD’S ACCEPTANCE OF DAVID’S GOOD DESIRES
FROM our general notions of the Deity, we should be ready to imagine, that he would not only permit, but encourage, the execution of every good thought that could come into our minds. But “his ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts:” he appoints unto men their work according to his sovereign will, and uses what instruments he pleases for the accomplishment of his own designs. Moses, who had brought the people of Israel out of Egypt and led them through the wilderness, was not permitted to conduct them into Canaan; he must devolve that office on Joshua, and die without seeing the completion of the work he had begun. Thus David had conceived a noble idea of building a temple unto the Lord, and had made preparations for it to a most astonishing extent: yet God suffered him not to execute the work, but ordered him to leave it to Solomon his son. At the dedication of the temple, Solomon brought this fact to the remembrance of the people, partly perhaps with a view to honour the memory of David his father, but principally to display the sovereignty of God who had appointed him to that office, and the faithfulness of God in having enabled him to complete the work. But at the same time that he mentions the prohibition given to David his father respecting the execution of his design, he declares God’s gracious acceptance of the intention just as much as if it had been carried into effect, since it argued and evinced that state of mind which alone could have rendered the act itself acceptable in the sight of God.
In this incident, as related in our text, we notice,
I. The characteristic marks of true piety—
From the example before us, we see that,
1. Its aims are high—
[David sought to honour and exalt Jehovah’s name: and wherever real piety exists, it will inspire us with similar views and sentiments. To act merely with a view to this world, or for the promoting of our own interests, will appear unworthy of a rational and immortal being. We shall “look (that is, aim) not at the things which are visible and temporal, but at the things which are invisible and eternal.” We shall carry this spirit into all the common acts and offices of life: “whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we shall endeavour to do it all to the glory of God.” In speaking on this subject, St. Paul uses an expression of peculiar force: he says, that “as Christ had been, so he should continue to be, magnified in his body, whether by life or death [Note: Php_1:20.].” Perhaps it may be thought, that such an aim was proper in an Apostle, but would be presumptuous in us: but it is equally proper for all; and indeed is necessary for all: for, “being not our own, but bought with a price, we should glorify God with our bodies and our spirits, which are his [Note: 1Co_6:19-20.].”]
2. Its efforts earnest—
[David not only desired to build the temple, but collected materials for it, and contributed towards it to an incredible amount. Thus is piety always operative, and regards all earthly possessions as talents to be improved for God. The more those talents are multiplied to us, the greater obligation we shall feel to honour God with them; and every service which we are enabled to render him, we shall consider only as a step to further services. If we had attained the eminence even of Paul himself, and, like him, had laboured more than all the other Apostles, we should not be satisfied with any thing we had done, whilst any thing yet remained for us to do: we should “forget all that was behind, of the course we had already run, and reach forth unto that which was before, and press toward the mark for the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus [Note: Php_3:13-14.].” Yes; “as many of us as are perfect and upright in the sight of God, will certainly be thus minded [Note: Php_3:12.].”]
3. Its desires are unbounded—
[Had David’s means been augmented an hundred-fold, his desire to use them for God would have proportionably increased: his ability would still have been the measure of his exertions. True piety regards, not the opinion of the world, but the will of God: it looks at the precepts, the promises, the examples, set before us in the Scriptures; and makes them the standard of its aims and efforts. The precepts require us to “love and serve God with all our heart, and all our mind, and all our soul, and all our strength:” the promises give us reason to hope that we shall be “cleansed from all unrighteousness,” and “be renewed after the image of our God in righteousness and true holiness:” and God proposes himself to us as our pattern, that we should “be holy, as he is holy,” and “be perfect, even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect.” However short of these things the Christian falls in point of practice, he desires, if it were possible, to fulfil all that is required of him, and to attain “the full measure of the stature of Christ himself [Note: Eph_4:13.].” In a word, he realizes in his experience the prayer of Epaphras, and “labours fervently and incessantly to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God [Note: Col_4:12.].”]
Whoever possesses such piety in his heart, shall assuredly be honoured with,
II. God’s approbation and acceptance of it—
Without the heart, no services that we can render to the Lord are pleasing to him—
[God says to every one of us, “My son, give me thy heart:” and, if we withhold that, he regards nothing else that we can give him: our very prayers and our praises are only an abomination to him [Note: Mat_15:7-9. Isa_1:11; Isa_1:13. Amo_5:21-23.] — — —]
But, where the heart is, even the smallest services are pleasing in his sight—
[God judges not of our services by their magnitude in the eyes of men, but by the measure of love and zeal with which they are performed. The widow’s mite was on this account considered as “more” than all the offerings of the rich: in itself, it was nothing; but, as indicating the state of her mind, it was above all price. And it is worthy of observation, that the most encouraging promises in Scripture are given to such expressions of our feelings as most indicate the sincerity of our hearts. A sigh, a groan, a look, a wish, a silent tear stealing down the cheek, are amongst the most acceptable offerings that we can present to God [Note: Psa_79:11; Psa_38:9; Psa_34:5; Psa_10:17; Psa_145:19; Psa_56:8.]. And when his Holy Spirit operates most powerfully upon our hearts, it is “with groanings which cannot be uttered [Note: Rom_8:23; Rom_8:26.].” If he looked at the outward services merely, the poor would labour under the greatest disadvantages: but we are assured, that he forms no such partial estimate of men’s conduct; but that, “if there be first a willing mind, he accepts us according to what we have, and not according to what we have not [Note: 2Co_8:12.];” so that, provided our exertions be proportioned to our ability, the poorest and weakest amongst us shall be approved and rewarded equally with those whose abilities and opportunities have been most enlarged: yea, if through the good providence of God we be incapacitated for any service whatever, yet, if we desire to serve God, he will bear testimony to us before all, saying, “Thou hast done well, in that it was in thine heart to serve me.”]
Application—
That we may obtain such a testimony from the Lord,
1. Let the advancement of the Church be dear unto us—
[There is a temple which we are called to build, and of which the temple of Solomon was but a type and shadow; I mean, the Church of Christ, which to all eternity shall be “the habitation of God through the Spirit [Note: Eph_2:20-22. 1Pe_2:4-5.].” For the advancement of that, we should long, and pray, and strive; and never cease from our exertions, till God himself “shall bring forth the head-stone, and the whole universe shall shout, Grace, grace unto it [Note: Zec_4:7.]!”] [Note: If this were a Mission Sermon, or for building a Church, here would be the proper place to press the subject.] 2. Let us, in all that we do, be particularly attentive to our own hearts—
[Many sinister motives are apt to arise, and to pollute our best actions: our liberality is apt to savour of ostentation, and our spiritual affections of pride and vanity. But God, “to whom all things are naked and open,” will judge according to what he sees in the inmost recesses of the heart; approving of the good that was there, though never carried into effect; and disapproving of our latent hypocrisy, by whatever specious appearances it had been concealed from mortal eyes. Only take care that the heart be right with God, and then all will be well with us, both in time and eternity.]
3. Let us be contented with doing what we can for God, though we should not succeed according to our wishes—
[If our labours be crowned with present success, we receive, as it were, a present recompence: but if our labour appear to be in vain, we may expect a suitable recompence hereafter. God will reward us, not according to our success, but according to our labour [Note: 1Co_3:8.]. The very consciousness of endeavouring to honour God is itself an ample reward for all that we can do. Whether we ourselves reap, or leave others to enter into our labours, we should be equally well pleased to serve our God. Let this thought animate us all in our respective stations; and whether our abilities be more or less, let us all endeavour to obtain this testimony from the Lord, “He hath done what he could [Note: Mar_14:8.].”]