2 Samuel 7:17-24: a reflection

17Nathan spoke to David all these words, and according to all this vision. 18Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD; and he said, “Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far? 19This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord GOD, but you have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come; and this among men, Lord GOD! 20What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Lord GOD. 21For your word’s sake, and according to your own heart, you have worked all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22Therefore you are great, LORD God. For there is no one like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23What one nation on the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make himself a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeemed to yourself out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods? 24You established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever; and you, LORD, became their God.

When God promises David an enduring house and kingdom, David's response is not pride but humble wonder. He goes in and sits before the LORD, and says: Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far? He is overwhelmed that God should show him such grace; he does not feel he has earned it or deserved it, but marvels at it. Who am I, he asks, that you have done this? His response to God's undeserved grace is humble wonder, a sense that he has received far more than he could ever have deserved.

Notice David's response to God's grace: humble wonder, not pride or entitlement. God had promised him great things, an enduring house and kingdom; and David might have taken it as his due, as something he had earned. But instead he marveled, humbled by grace: who am I, that you have brought me this far? He recognized that he had done nothing to deserve such grace, and could only wonder at it. His heart was not proud or entitled, but humbled and amazed at God's undeserved kindness to him. Grace met him not with entitlement, but with wonder.

That response of humble wonder is worth taking to heart, for we too receive from God far more than we deserve, and can respond with entitlement or with wonder. We can take God's grace and blessings as our due, as though we had earned them, feeling entitled; or we can respond, as David did, with humble wonder, amazed at grace we did not deserve. When you consider what God has given you, his grace, his blessings, his kindness, do not take it as your due, but respond with humble wonder: who am I, that God should be so good to me? Recognize that you have received far more than you deserve, and let it humble and amaze you, as David marveled, who am I, that you have brought me this far? Meet God's undeserved grace with wonder rather than entitlement, humbled and amazed at his goodness to you, as David sat before the LORD and marveled at the grace he had done nothing to deserve.

Lord, when you promise David an enduring house and kingdom, his response is not pride but humble wonder. He goes in and sits before you, and says: who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far? He is overwhelmed that you should show him such grace; he does not feel he has earned it or deserved it, but marvels at it. His response to your undeserved grace is humble wonder, a sense that he has received far more than he could ever have deserved. Show me David's response to your grace: humble wonder, not pride or entitlement. You had promised him great things; and he might have taken it as his due. But instead he marveled, humbled by grace: who am I, that you have brought me this far? He recognized that he had done nothing to deserve such grace. His heart was not proud or entitled, but humbled and amazed at your undeserved kindness. Take that response of humble wonder to my heart, for I too receive from you far more than I deserve, and can respond with entitlement or with wonder. I can take your grace and blessings as my due, feeling entitled; or I can respond, as David did, with humble wonder. When I consider what you have given me, keep me from taking it as my due; help me respond with humble wonder: who am I, that you should be so good to me? Help me recognize that I have received far more than I deserve, and let it humble and amaze me, Lord, as David marveled, who am I, that you have brought me this far?