When God Says "Not You"

When God Says Not You

As I reflected on the subject of my last blogpost, “When God Says No,” I remembered King David’s dilemma. He wanted to build God a house—a magnificent temple. He had dreams and plans and plenty of means to do it. But the word of the Lord came to him saying, “You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to my name…Behold a son shall be born to you…he shall build a house for my name…” (1 Chronicles 22:8-9)

God basically said, “No, you will not do it, but another will.” Has this ever happened to you? You wanted to do something and someone else was chosen for the job or position. How did you feel? It is one thing for God to say “No” to you. It is another matter to see someone else getting the green light.

I love David’s response:

1. He accepted God’s choice of Solomon. “Now, my son, the Lord be with you that you may be successful, and build the house of the Lord your God just as He has spoken concerning you.” (22:11)

2. He made available all his plans and provisions, so that Solomon could complete the task. “Now behold, with great pains I have prepared for the house of the Lord 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weight…also timber and stone I have prepared . . ..” (22:14-15)

3. He encouraged his son to tackle the project, trusting God. “Arise and work, and may the Lord be with you.” (22:16)

4. He asked others to help Solomon. “David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon saying…’Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for the name of the Lord.’” (22:17-19)

We have a good example in David’s life. When God says, “Not you” He knows what He is doing. We can trust Him, just like David did.

I remember when we first went to Africa in 1990 we spent the first six months studying French. After that our plans were to open the first village work in that part of the country. Suddenly we learned that our French teacher had a medical condition that required him to return to the states. We were asked to take over the French course for newly arriving missionaries. That meant someone else would open the first village work in our place.

It was a difficult time for us, but after praying about it we felt it was God’s will. We said yes. It all worked out, as several years later we were part of opening the second village work instead! And as an added benefit I got to learn French so much more than I would have otherwise. This helped in future years when I was the field director and had to speak (and write!) to government officials, in the French language. God knew that His detour in our plans was for our good!

What about you? Can you think of a time when God said “Not you” when you wanted to do something for Him? Or worse, when He let someone else do it instead? Think back on what you may have missed. Perhaps something good came of it that you didn’t realize at the time. Can you thank the Lord for saying “Not you”?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)