Word of Encouragement (11/20/2024)

Therefore David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: "Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. (1 Chron. 29:10-13)

David wanted to build a temple for God, but God did not allow it because he had shed too much blood as a warrior (22:7-8). God promised that his son would have the privilege to build it instead (22:9). When David heard this, he did not say, “Oh, well, I tried. That’s that, then,” and move on to something else. He said, instead, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it” (22:5). So, he did, and he did it in an impressive way:

“So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble. Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God: 3,000 talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the house, 5 and for all the work to be done by craftsmen, gold for the things of gold and silver for the things of silver. Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself today to the LORD” (29:2-5)?

David offered the prayer in today’s passage after his preparation was done and the leaders and the people of Israel also gave generously and joyfully for the temple construction.

Before we reflect on the prayer, let us first notice the sincerity of David’s desire to build God a temple. David told Solomon, “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God” (22:7). Nobody pressured him to build a temple for God. He was not simply making a gesture of magnanimity to God. He had it in his heart to do this.

We know how sincere he was by the way he responded to God’s rejection of his offer. He did not get offended or angry. If he did, it would be an indication that he was doing it more for himself, not for God. If we wanted to do something for someone out of love for his delight, we should not get upset if he did not want it. If we did, it would show that we did it for ourselves in some way—for example, to make ourselves feel good about ourselves, to have our love recognized and appreciated, or to impose our will, etc. David wanted to do it for God. So, when God said “No,” he wasn’t offended. He knew that God was God; He was no Beggar that He should accept with appreciation whatever he offered to Him! He was only so grateful that his son would be allowed to build a temple for God. So, he did everything else for the temple construction except building it. No one could doubt that his heart was wholly in it.

Let us think about all the things we do for God. Is it in our hearts to do them for God? Isn’t that what God deserves from His people, who gave Himself wholly to us and did everything for our salvation because it was in His heart to do so?

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