28:1-29:5
- Some servants of the Lord complete their ministry without seeing
their vision becoming a reality. This is what happened to David. He had
the initial idea – ‘I had my heart set on building the Temple…’. He had
begun thinking about how the Temple could be built – ‘I made
preparations for building’. It was not to be – ‘God said to me, “You may
not build a House for My Name”’. This was not, however, God’s last Word
to David. There was also a Word of hope – ‘It is Solomon your son who
shall build My House’ (28:2-3,6). Solomon was ‘young and
inexperienced’. He was taking on a huge task. He needed God’s Word of
encouragement – ‘…the Lord God is with you…’. He needed the support of
the people – ‘all the people will be wholly at your command’. Let us
‘dedicate ourselves to the Lord today’ (28:20-29:1,5).
29:6-30 - The Temple of the Lord did not come easily. It had to be built. This involved God’s people in much sacrificial giving. This was a great challenge. The Lord’s people rose to the challenge. They gave to the Lord – joyfully, generously and wholeheartedly (9). This giving was an expression of their worship. They were saying to the Lord, ‘Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty’ (10). Worshipping the Lord like this transforms our giving. It is no longer a legalistic burden – “Why do I have to give so much?”. It becomes our joyful privilege. Our giving becomes thanksgiving. We thank the Lord for all that He has done for us. Let us give ‘with great gladness’ – ‘Our God, we thank You… Everything comes from You. We give only what has come from Your hands’ (22, 13-14).
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