8 Minute Read
Be Still
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a couple of minutes to breathe deeply, to quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, prayerfully ask the Lord to speak to you in this time and let Him know that you will be listening and will make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Today’s Bible Reading:
1 Chronicles 28:1–29:30
Romans 5:6-21
Psalm 15:1-5
Proverbs 19:18-19
Listen to the Lord
Slowly and reflectively read the following verses and listen to what God will say to you through them. Then, consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
1 Chronicles 28:20 (NLT): “Then David continued, ‘Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the LORD is finished correctly.’”
Reflections from Scripture:
There came a time with the mighty King David was nearing death. Rather than allow events to play out after his death, he proactively proclaimed his son, Solomon, to be the next king.
But, Solomon was still very young. He was inexperienced.
And David knew that leadership was hard. Very hard. There are times when decisions have to be made for the people’s good, yet the decision will be overwhelmingly unpopular. There are times when the leader feels abandoned by those he has relied upon or trusted in. There are times when the results of his good decisions are utterly distasteful even to himself.
There would inevitably be times when Solomon would feel afraid or even terrified. He might struggle with bouts of discouragement or worse under such pressure.
So, David gave his son the instructions found in our Verse for Today:
1 Chronicles 28:20 (NLT): “Then David continued, ‘Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the LORD is finished correctly.’”
David told his son to “be strong and courageous, and do the work” of building the temple and leading the people. He also told him: “Don’t be afraid or discouraged.”
Was this simply a superficial pep talk? Was there any substantive reason why Solomon could keep his chin up when times got tough?
Yes! And the reasons for Solomon’s strength and courage can be claimed by each of us who follow Jesus!
Solomon was told that “the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the LORD is finished correctly.”
In other words, God had a plan. He was going to accomplish it. As long as Solomon was joining God in what He was doing, Solomon couldn’t fail.
Get that! It’s important!
As long as Solomon was joining God in what God was doing, Solomon couldn’t fail.
Friend, this is the same principle that Henry Blackaby has been saying for years in his classic work, “Experiencing God.” God has not put us on this earth and called us to Himself so that we can do whatever we want to do. No! He has put us on this earth and called us to Himself so that we can join Him in what He is doing.
It’s like a surfing. If someone wants to have some fun on a surf board, they need to learn to catch a wave. The wave is essentially what God is doing and catching that wave is what we do. When we join God in what He is already doing, that’s when the purposeful living, and fun, begin.
So, today, look for God’s fingerprints. Begin by reading His Word and spending time in prayer. Then, keep an eye open for what God is doing around you. And then join Him in that.
God has never promised to make us successful in what we want to do. But, He will bless us if we are determined to join Him in what He is doing.
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for not creating me like a robot. Thank You for giving me free will to make my own choices. But, as a follower of You, keep me mindful that I don’t belong to myself anymore. I have been bought at a high price, the price of Your precious blood. So help me to willingly, regularly choose to do what You desire for me to do. Help me to discover (or rediscover) the joy of seeing what You are up to and joining You in that endeavor. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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