King David is unhappy because he is living in a house of cedar while God and the Ark of the Covenant are living in the tabernacle, a tent.  David wants to build God a palace. 

God speaks to the prophet Nathan that night and tells him that David doesn’t need to build a gorgeous house for God.  Wherever David has gone, God has been with him.  God raised David from being a shepherd.  God has been with David his whole life. 

God says to Nathan, “I will make David a house.” God is not talking about a wood structure.  God is talking about something far more important and lasting.  God will make of David a great nation.  Just as God had promised to his ancestors, it will be David’s throne that will be established forever.

For David a house is a building, but for God a house is a family. 

Something very exciting is going to happen in David’s family. 

Fast forward 1000 years- to the New Testament passage.  The Annunciation!—the foretelling of the birth of Jesus the Christ.  This is where our Christmas story really begins and it will come to its fruition for us on Christmas. 

Gabriel is sent by God to a town called Nazareth.  He is sent to a young woman named Mary, a woman who is engaged to the carpenter Joseph.  Gabriel appears to Mary and says, “Greetings, favored one!  The Lord is with you.” 

Naturally, this scared Mary.  You would be frightened if this happened to you.  The angel hits her with a heavy message.  “You will bear a son, his name will be Jesus.  He will be great.”  God will fulfill the promise to David.

The angel is telling Mary all these great things.  He son is going to be great, a king.  Mary, however, isn’t impressed with all that kingly stuff.  She asks the very practical question, “How can I have a child, I am still a virgin?”

Mary must have realized the implications.  A young woman, only engaged, gets pregnant.  Of course their society frowns upon this.  She might have been shunned, and sent away.  Who is really going to believe her story?  

Still Mary says, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord.” 

In both stories, God is with them- David and Mary—God is with them in their joy, and in their sorrow.  God is right there! 

Have you ever felt that God was with you?

Have you ever felt God wasn’t with you?

It is in our moments of despair that we feel God is not with us, but God is always with us.  God can be a comfort to us in sorrow, because there is great joy in the promises of God.