1 Chronicles 22
We’ve already read about how David desired to build a temple for the Lord, but God said it would not be him, but rather his son, Solomon, who would build the temple. This chapter provides a little more insight into David’s response.
Instead of feeling angry and rejected, or bitter than he could not fulfill the desire of his heart, David made plans to ensure his son’s success. He lined up the skilled craftsmen, he set aside the needed gold, silver, and bronze, and he purchased the wood for the construction. He explained to his son what God had said and instructed Solomon about all the preparations he had made. He charged the leaders of the people to come alongside his young son and help him with this monumental building project.
His goal wasn’t that he should be honored and exalted as the one to build the temple, but that God should be honored and exalted. He kept in mind the things of God rather than the things of men.
When Jesus rebuked Peter for having in mind the things of men rather than the things of God (Matthew 16:23), He did so because Peter was set on Christ as victorious king, not as a suffering servant. Not as the lamb, but as the lion.
Am I willing to set aside any gain for myself in order that God be exalted? Am I willing to devote myself to serving in ways that go unnoticed and unappreciated except by God? Am I willing to provide the resources for the next generation to finish the job?
I’m at the age where preoccupation with raising the next generation gives way to thoughts of retirement. Not the “move to Florida, buy a house at the beach, travel the world” kind of retirement, but the realization that the day will come when we are no longer physically able to work. We’ve spent our life depending on the Lord, but also trusting in our physical ability to hold a job, our intellectual ability to understand and learn new things, our mental ability to remember, and our financial ability to budget.
Faith must rise to a new level when you recognize that all of those abilities can vanish in an instant with a single accident, an illness, or a fall.
When we consider such a loss, do we continue to invest in the next generation, or store up resources as if they will be our security? Do we trust the Lord or do we trust in our 401K, our pension, or our inheritance? Are we willing to pour out all that we have for whatever the Lord calls us to, trusting Him alone to meet our needs? Do we hope that the last check we write bounces so that we will have used up every single resource God has given for the purpose of His kingdom?
Do we have in mind the things of God or the things of men?
We’ve already read about how David desired to build a temple for the Lord, but God said it would not be him, but rather his son, Solomon, who would build the temple. This chapter provides a little more insight into David’s response.
Instead of feeling angry and rejected, or bitter than he could not fulfill the desire of his heart, David made plans to ensure his son’s success. He lined up the skilled craftsmen, he set aside the needed gold, silver, and bronze, and he purchased the wood for the construction. He explained to his son what God had said and instructed Solomon about all the preparations he had made. He charged the leaders of the people to come alongside his young son and help him with this monumental building project.
His goal wasn’t that he should be honored and exalted as the one to build the temple, but that God should be honored and exalted. He kept in mind the things of God rather than the things of men.
When Jesus rebuked Peter for having in mind the things of men rather than the things of God (Matthew 16:23), He did so because Peter was set on Christ as victorious king, not as a suffering servant. Not as the lamb, but as the lion.
Am I willing to set aside any gain for myself in order that God be exalted? Am I willing to devote myself to serving in ways that go unnoticed and unappreciated except by God? Am I willing to provide the resources for the next generation to finish the job?
I’m at the age where preoccupation with raising the next generation gives way to thoughts of retirement. Not the “move to Florida, buy a house at the beach, travel the world” kind of retirement, but the realization that the day will come when we are no longer physically able to work. We’ve spent our life depending on the Lord, but also trusting in our physical ability to hold a job, our intellectual ability to understand and learn new things, our mental ability to remember, and our financial ability to budget.
Faith must rise to a new level when you recognize that all of those abilities can vanish in an instant with a single accident, an illness, or a fall.
When we consider such a loss, do we continue to invest in the next generation, or store up resources as if they will be our security? Do we trust the Lord or do we trust in our 401K, our pension, or our inheritance? Are we willing to pour out all that we have for whatever the Lord calls us to, trusting Him alone to meet our needs? Do we hope that the last check we write bounces so that we will have used up every single resource God has given for the purpose of His kingdom?
Do we have in mind the things of God or the things of men?
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