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When David had sent the people
away, he went home to his house. What had he to do there? The
day was over, and perhaps he felt very tired; but he would not rest until
he had prayed with his family. We ought never to be too tired to
worship God. When a happy day is passed, we should thank God, who
made it so happy, and ask his blessing before we sleep. And masters
and mistresses ought to do as David did. In the evening, they should
call their servants and children, and all their family, to worship
God. Those are happy families who love to pray and praise God
together. Was David's a
happy family? Did they all love God? Were they all glad to
have the ark among them again? No; Michal, David's wife, was not
glad. She did not care for the ark; and she laughed at David,
because he honored it so much, and danced in holy joy before it. But
David told her that it was God's love and kindness which made him happy;
and that he was thinking of His goodness in making him king over His
people Israel; and that he must thank the Lord, and praise Him for all His
mercies. David was right, and God was very angry with Michel.
It made David unhappy to see Michal laughing at holy things. He
tried to teach his family right, but he could not make them love God; he
could not give them new hearts. Many of them did not care about
God. They knew what was right, but they did not wish to be like
David, and to serve God as he did. A
good prophet lived in Israel, named Nathan. David loved and honored
Nathan very much, and they often talked together about holy things.
One day, when David was sitting quietly in his beautiful house, he said to
Nathan, "See what a beautiful house of cedar I have to live in; but
God's ark has no house; it is only in a tabernacle; within
curtains." David wished to build a temple for God, and to put
the ark there. Nathan was glad that David loved and honored God so
much, and he said, "Do all that is in thy heart, for the Lord is with
thee." But that night, God spoke to Nathan in a vision, and
gave him this message for king David, "God took thee away from thy
sheep to be king over His people Israel. He will bless thee, and
they children after thee; and when thou art dead, then thy son shall
reign; and God will be with him, and give him riches, and possessions, and
rest and peace from all his enemies. He shall build a temple for
God; but God does not wish thee to build it. He is pleased with
thee, because of thy wish to honor Him, and He will not forget nor forsake
thee all thy life long. He promises to give thee the kingdom for
ever." When Nathan
told this vision to David, David felt happy, and very thankful to
God. Why was he happy? Because he knew that God was his
friend, and would never forsake him. He had much to make him happy,
but it was God's love alone that gave him true joy. And God promises
now, never to forsake His people. He does not promise to give them
kingdoms; but He does say to all who love and serve Him, "I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5.
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