Day 113

David’s Heart for God

2 Samuel 7:1–29

Jerusalem became known as the City of David. There the priests offered sacrifices to God every day at the tabernacle. For a long time God had not been properly worshiped. But now these services were held in Jerusalem. David lived in a beautiful cedar house on Mount Zion. One day he spoke to the prophet Nathan: “Look at this. I live in a cedar house. But God’s ark is still in a tent.”

That night the Lord spoke to Nathan: “I brought Israel out of Egypt. Ever since then my ark has been in the tent of meeting. No one has ever thought of building me a cedar house. But now David has a heart to build my house. Tell my servant David, ‘I took you from the sheep pasture. There you followed the sheep. I made you prince over my people Israel. I gave you a great name and great power. Now I will give you a kingdom. Your son will sit on the throne after you die. He will build a house for me. You and your children and their families will have the kingdom. It will last forever.’ ”

Questions: What did David want to do for God? What did God promise to David and his family?