Why It’s Okay To Not Have A Perfect Christmas

“For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’” 2 Samuel 7:12-16, NLT

As the Christmas holiday draws near and people around the world are decorating evergreen trees, shopping for thoughtful and exciting gifts, and caroling through their neighborhoods, we rejoice in the ultimate reason for the season – that Jesus Christ the perfect Son of God was born.

Since the beginning, His coming was highly anticipated.

Prophecy after prophecy revealed in the Old Testament consistently alluded to His coming and the fulfillment of God’s promise to provide a messianic King who will reign forever.

The Failure of Man

In the passages leading up to this prophecy we learned that King David, being displeased with the realization that he lived in a palace while the ark of God remained in tents, desired to build a house for the Lord.

However, God clarified to David that he never asked for a house to be built for Him. Before David’s intentions even arose, God had been with His people everywhere they journeyed.

1 Chronicles 28:2-3 also explains that God did not allow David to build Him a house because he had been a man of war. Although David fought many wars under the direction of God, the temple could not be built by the bloody hands of a warrior.

Ultimately, God would want a house not founded on war, but peace.

In addition to having unclean hands as a warrior, David had committed adultery with Bathsheba, whose husband he deviously ensured was murdered. For these reasons, David was not found to be adequate to sit on the throne as the everlasting king.

But then God raised up David’s son, Solomon, who became the wisest man to ever live. He built the Temple of God and it could easily have been assumed that maybe he was the Messiah everyone had been waiting on.

Yet, Solomon in all his wisdom too failed, committing idolatry because of his love for many women. Even though Solomon was the wisest and richest king Israel had ever known, his sin, just like David’s, did not allow for him to sit on the throne forever.

But what does God say knowing that Solomon would sin?

The Faithfulness of God

Not only do verses 14 and 15 affirm God’s discipline of Solomon as he failed before the Lord, but further declare that the Davidic throne shall be established forever regardless of their shortcomings.

Ironically, God’s promise to secure the establishment of the eternal kingdom was not based on how well David or Solomon carried out their reign, but on God Himself.

In other words, the promised everlasting throne depended on God’s loyalty to see it through.

Likewise we oftentimes forget that God’s promises of our salvation are not based on our performance, but rather on His perfection.

Ultimately, we must fall before Him, confessing our sin and trusting He will wipe them clean and continue a work in and through us (Philippians 1:6).

The Fulfillment of God’s Promise

God promised and He made a way. He guaranteed fulfillment of His promise in the face of human failure.

Through a generational continuation of the throne of David, a righteous King was born, who accomplished the law of God perfectly and whose throne can and will never be taken from Him.

This King was and is Jesus, the true and awaited prophesied Messiah!

With Him ended the cycle of unworthy kings, and with Him, a kingdom established for eternity and salvation was made available for all.

In this season, let’s remember that God makes provision for ALL His promises in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and descendant of David to sit on the throne as King, Prophet, Priest, and Savior of the world.

AND such provision is not based on our performance, but His perfection.

Questions for Your Heart:

1. Have you been anxious about creating the perfect holiday for your family or self? How can you instead find delight in your perfect Savior and His salvation?
2. Why can God’s faithfulness to His promise to David confirm His promises to you?
3. When you fail, who can you always turn to?

Author: Natalie Robinson