January 20
“Then David said, this is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering
for Israel” (1 Chron. 21:28; 22:1).
It was not for a mere earthly kingdom that God was calling David. He had for him a kingdom
far higher and greater than that. We have seen the growth of joy in David’s life, stage by
stage, and we have seen what it was that gave both to God and to David the greatest
satisfaction, even the revelation to him of God’s plan and pattern for His temple.
Before God could reveal His plan to him, He had, as we have seen, to bring David by a path
of sorrow to the threshing-floor of Araunah, the Jebusite. Then David realised that that same
plot of ground upon which he built his altar and burnt peace offerings was wanted by the Lord
to build His temple. God could have told David from the very beginning to build His house in
that place, but David was not ready then to receive such a command or instruction. It is only
when we are truly ready and prepared that God can give to us the instructions of His heart.
Daily Devotionals
Read Daily Devotionals in Telugu & English with Bible verses, prayers, and faith lessons. Strengthen your spiritual life with God’s Word every day.
Who are you?
Jan 20
For he knoweth our frame …
—Psalm 103:14
It is significant that our first astronauts, while being trained for their moon flights, were required to give twenty answers to the query, “Who are you?” Take the same test yourself. When you have made your list and run out of things to add, ask yourself if you have truly answered. Do you really know who you are? Scientists agree that our desperate search leads all humans to seek heroes and to imitate others, to “paste bits and pieces of other people on ourselves.” We make love as some actor would. We play golf in the style of Jack Nicklaus. Part of this process is natural, for we learn by imitating others. The tragedy is that the person we assemble is not genuine. “Who am I?” you cry as you roam the world looking for yourself. Consider this: there are three of you. There is the person you think you are. There is the person others think you are. There is the person God knows you are and can be through Christ.