Who am I?

Dear Readers, my Friends and my Strength,

This week I want to share with you something that touched my heart and soul very much. It is a beautiful reminder of why we should give God thanks always.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (New King James Version)

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Although I wrote this a while back it still touches me with the same impact as the day God gave it to me. It is sweet, humbling and amazing. Please enjoy this beautiful reminder of what God has done for us - so we can give Him thanks!

We return to David once again. God seems to use David’s words and stories a lot in this study. I have grown to absolutely adore King David with his steadfast love for God despite his many struggles and even sin. In 1 Chronicles 17 David has become king over all of Israel. He has defeated the Philistines with their many attempts to capture him and has brought the Ark of God to Jerusalem. The Ark of God (also called The Ark of the Covenant) contained the Ten Commandments and the presence of God. After much celebration and rejoicing over the ark’s arrival to Jerusalem, the people had returned to their homes including David.

After David settled into his palace, he began to look at the fact that he lived in a beautiful palace and the Ark of the Covenant (God’s presence) resided under a tent. He then considered building a house for the ark and God. That night God spoke to the prophet Nathan with words for David. God’s words to David expressed that He did not want David to build a house for God. God also spoke to David about his past and his future. I want to share some background of the selected scripture we will study so you will gain some insight and visuals of this time for David.

A few things God spoke to David through Nathan (1Chronicle 17: 3-14):

• I took you from the pasture and from following the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel.
• I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you.
• Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men of the earth.
• I will also subdue all your enemies.
• I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.
• He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.
• I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’”

Let me show you David’s reaction to these words after they were delivered to him by the prophet Nathan.

1 Chronicles 17:16

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD.

King David heard this beautiful, stirring revelation from God, and he sat before the LORD. I love that visual. King David, ruler over all of Israel and a powerful military leader with countless victories under his belt, sat before the LORD. Do you ever sit before the LORD? Can’t you just imagine King David sitting before God? Isn’t it a glorious site? When you sit before God in your quiet time it is also a glorious site – to God and maybe even King David is watching.

King David sat before the LORD and said a prayer. I want you to read the entire 12 verses of David’s prayer when you have time, but for now I will share with you only a few of his words for our focus.

1 Chronicles 17: 16-19

David’s Prayer

16 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 17 And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O LORD God. 18 “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, 19 O LORD. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.

What does this king over Israel say first to his God? “Who am I?” he says. David asks God, “Who am I that you have brought me this far?” David remembers his humble beginnings as a shepherd. He remembers that his family was not royalty or special. David humbles himself before the Lord. He does not have great pride and self-righteousness in his role of king here. “Who am I?” he asks. David thinks back to a time before he was anointed king over Israel. He ponders over his family’s former status and place in creation. Then he sees how far he has come. He knows God has brought him to his current place in life.

This humble place can take you to another level of thanksgiving to God. To see how far you have come with God’s grace and love will make thanksgiving easy. Ask God today, “Who am I?” Say, “Who am I, O LORD God and what is my family that you have brought me this far?” God has brought you this far ladies. You were not always here. You did not always seek God’s Word. You did not always trust God. You did not always follow God. You have come this far because of your heavenly Father! What a marvelous reason to celebrate and rejoice in thanksgiving – to know God has brought us this far. We can give God thanks when we sit before Him humbly and look at how far God has brought us.

And if that was not reason enough to celebrate, read what wise King David says to God next:

1 Chronicles 17:17

And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O LORD God.

Not only has God Almighty brought you this far, He has also spoken to you of your future. God made promises to David when He spoke through Nathan. God told him of his future. God has spoken promises to you also. You have an entire book of them. You have God’s absolute words in writing at your fingertips. David had God’s words from a prophet. You have words and words and words – all written and ready to use. You have the Word of God available at any time – filled with spoken words from the Creator in a format that could not be any easier to apprehend. God the Father tells of your future throughout your Bible. He gives His promises for you. So when David marvels at God’s goodness in giving him a view of his future, you should marvel also. Say the words of David for yourself. Go ahead! It feels good.



Say: “And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant – Me. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O LORD God.”



David received words from God about his future and he considered it a true honor.

Read 1 Chronicles 17:17-18.

And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O LORD God. “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant?

These 2 verses truly humble me. Have I been taking my Bible for granted? Have I reserved it for only available time? Have I not considered it a complete honor to have God’s words at my beck and call? David accepted God’s words to him through a prophet as God honoring him. “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant?” he says. David also says to God, “You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O LORD God.” David does not say this in regards to his position as king and God’s placement of him there. David feels that God has looked on him as the most exalted of men because God shared words with David concerning his future and his family’s future.

Do you ever see yourself as God’s most exalted because God has so generously honored you in this place and time to receive his Word by means of Jesus, the written Word and our teachers? If David is honored by God then we are honored even greater. Jesus has come on our behalf. We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us.

Yes, I want you to say it. You can do it. I don’t care if it feels uncomfortable. This is how to truly give God thanks. In everything give God thanks.

Say: You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of people, O LORD God. “What more can _______ say to you for honoring your servant?

If you gave your child a very special gift from your heart, would you like a response like this one? How would it feel if your child felt that you must look at them as the greatest of people because of your gift?  How would it feel if your child considered themselves honored due to your gift?  It would feel great. So don’t feel in any way modest in these words to God. He wants such deep gratitude from the heart. This type of conversation with your Father God draws you closer to Him. That is his great desire. He loves you so much, He yearns for your love in return. And thanksgiving is a tender, humble expression of your love. It carries the nature of your heart.

David knows God has brought him this far and now gives him words of the future. David knows God did these things for his sake, for David. David is so full of love and gratitude to his heavenly Father in these words. Can you hear it? Can you hear his love through each verse as he prays to his Creator? My heart pounds and melts all in these verses. When I hear David’s love for the Father my heart pounds with the desire to be more like David. When I feel David’s humble nature to his God my heart softens and cries out to do the same. I just adore and respect this prayer of David so much. I hope and pray it is reaching your heart and souls as well.

Lastly in 1 Chronicles 17:18-19 David tells his Father God thank you in these words:

For you know your servant, O LORD. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.

God did “this great thing.” God absolutely did a great thing. He spoke to David! Not only did God use Nathan to speak to David, God also told him his future and gave him promises. God gave David His promises. The Creator of the universe made promises to David! The Creator of man himself told David what would happen to his family in the future. God Almighty who brought a flood to destroy everything on the earth except a few chosen ones, shared with David His promises. This is a great thing. When David tells the Lord God that He has done a great thing, David can see the magnitude of it.

God has done a great thing for you also. This week pray David’s prayer everyday or more. Sit before the LORD like King David did. Simply imitate this great example. David was described by God as “a man after my own heart.” (Acts 13:22) What an exceptional person to follow. I strongly encourage you to write down the words to the prayer yourself. I will however send an attachment for you to print. Simply use your name in place of David’s name. This is your prayer now. I am certain that King David would want it that way. Humble yourself with the words of love for God in this prayer, and your giving of thanks to God will go to a deeper, more intimate place. You deserve it!