Thursday, July 28, 2016

I Chronicles 22: Equipping The Next Generation

David serves as a role model for us in many ways: courageous warrior, humble worshiper, repentant sinner, gracious king, and true friend.  He also demonstrates the beauty of equipping the next generation for their role in God's plan.

It would have been easy for David to be selfish in a couple of different ways.  First, when he had the original idea to build a temple, he was told by the prophet Nathan that he was not the man for the job.  That holy work, it was proclaimed, would be given to his son, a man of peace rather than war.  But David could have invoked his royal privilege and insisted that he be the one to take on the task and plunge ahead with the project.  It could have been forever regarded as David's Temple, instead of Solomon's Temple.  But David wisely, and selflessly, let that great honor pass on to his son.

Second, David could have chosen to be bitter and resentful when informed that he would not be the one to construct God's House.  "What?  You don't want me?  I'm not good enough to build Your precious Temple?  Then I'm not about to lift one finger to help the effort!"  Anyone who has ever worked on a project with someone whose feelings have been hurt and has acted out in this way can appreciate the possibility of this happening.  David was not told "No" by God very often, but here, in this case, he took it graciously and resisted the temptation to pout.

What happened instead is that David took up the challenge of preparing the work for Solomon.  No, David would not be allowed to build the Temple himself, and he understood that.  But God hadn't said anything about prohibiting David from getting the raw materials ready for a majestic House for the Lord to be built.  David provided the artisans and stonecutters, the cedars, the metals of gold, silver, bronze and iron.  "For David said, 'My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be magnificent, famous, and glorified throughout all lands; I will therefore make preparation for it.'  So David provided materials in great quantity before his death" (vs. 5).

Let me encourage you to consider emulating David in this way, to be a spiritual equipper of the next generation.  What can you lay up and prepare for the men and women who will come after you in the Church of Jesus Christ that will enable them to be the best they can be for the Lord?

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