Issue #142, November 12, 2014
After his early mistake David was finally able to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem with joy and celebration. He clearly desired to have God at the center of his leadership journey. As he settled into his new role as king he again expressed his heart for God by telling the prophet Nathan that he wished to build a temple for God. This plan leads to an entire chapter of conversation with God, mediated through Nathan. (Read the entire account in 2 Samuel 7). This chapter provides helpful insight into how prayer shaped David’s life and leadership. Prayer shaped David’s leadership in three ways and can do the same for each of us as servant leaders.
Prayer reminds that leadership is to establish God’s presence.
‘Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent’ (7:2). David’s heart was clearly to establish a place for God to dwell and he was not satisfied when God’s presence was in a temporary building. His longing was not for a greater house for himself, but a better place for God. He saw his own leadership as an opportunity to do something for God. Servant leaders are tempted, like all leaders, to see their influence as an opportunity to strengthen their own positon in their business, church, or career. Prayer helps refocus on the true purpose of leadership: to establish God’s presence. In prayer, servant leaders are able to see beyond themselves and focus on how they can solidify God’s position through their leadership.
Prayer acknowledges that leadership is because of God’s plan.
Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? (7:18). David continually was humbled as he acknowledged that God had given him his position of leadership. When he asks “Who am I…,” it was not a question from a leader with a low self-esteem; David had already dealt with his identity issue. But, he sees his position as given by God. He resists the temptation to think that he deserves to be the king. He knew that he was not king because of his skill in war or his ability to lead. Rather, leadership was God’s plan for his life. All leaders are tempted, especially when things are going well, to think that God is fortunate to have them on His team! David reminds us that servant leaders humbly acknowledge that our influence is a precious gift of grace, not something we will ever deserve.
Prayer recognizes that leadership is for God’s praise.
Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ (7:25-26). God gave great promises to David about how his leadership over Israel would never end and how his sons would succeed him. Many leaders would respond with “Amen, let it be so…that sounds good for me!” But David, in prayer, recognized that his leadership was not for building a dynasty but it was about bringing God praise. He saw his role as making God famous in Israel. He wanted people to look at him and say “God is great!” All leaders are tempted to measure their success by how well they are known. Servant leaders succeed as they make God known!
David was a king but focused more on building God’s kingdom than his own. His heart for God kept him in a position of prayer that profoundly changed his purpose for leading. Servant leaders follow his example as they allow prayer to be the foundation of their own leadership journey. Take a moment to reflect on the questions below as you assess how your own leadership compares with David’s. Do you lead with prayer?
For further reflection and discussion:
- In what ways does your leadership role establish God’s presence in your home, career, business, church, or leadership role? How much of your time is spent thinking about how to advance your own position in contrast to thinking about how to advance God’s position?
- In what ways are you tempted to think that your influence is a result of your own ability and hard work?
- What percentage of your prayers are focused on asking God to bring success to your own efforts? What percentage ask God to help you make Him look better?
- What is the difference between leading in prayer and leading with prayer? Which do you do more often?
- In this chapter God gently told David that it would not be his role to build the temple, but his son would take up this task. How would you have responded if God told you that you should not do what you wanted to do for Him? What do you learn from David’s response?