I.
Two weeks ago we looked at 1 Chronicles 17 noticing David’s plans, Nathan’s initial agreement with David, followed by Nathan’s encounter with the word of God, Nathan conveying those words to David and David’s response.

We return to a portion of that same Scripture passage paying attention specifically to David’s prayer. We looked at the prayer some two weeks ago, but as we return to his prayer let’s give attention to not only David’s words but as best we can the spirit with which he enters prayer.

II.
1 Chronicles 17:16-27 (New Revised Standard Version)

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And even this was a small thing in your sight, O God; you have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come. You regard me as someone of high rank, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? You know your servant. For your servant’s sake, O Lord, and according to your own heart, you have done all these great deeds, making known all these great things. There is no one like you, O Lord, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. Who is like your people Israel, one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and terrible things, in driving out nations before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt? And you made your people Israel to be your people forever; and you, O Lord, became their God.

“And now, O Lord, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, let it be established forever, and do as you have promised. Thus your name will be established and magnified forever in the saying, ‘The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God’; and the house of your servant David will be established in your presence. For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him; therefore your servant has found it possible to pray before you. And now, O Lord, you are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant; therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord, have blessed and are blessed forever.”

III.
What do you notice David doing first? Where do you see David physically putting himself?

What do you judge his spirit to be as he begins praying?

Would you say he starts from a place of humility or a place of Kingship?

In the translation we read here, there are about 330 words in the prayer. In that span of words how often does he address God as, “God,” “Lord,” or even “you”?

Does that indicate anything to you regarding the spiritual place David places himself as he draws near to God?

IV.
As we pay attention to how David prays, how might he offer us guidance as to how we approach prayer?

During this Christmas season as our attention is called to how God comes to us, let’s think some about how we come to God.

We’ll get back together later, this week ….

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}