“[King David said to Solomon that he must] acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you…. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temple” (I Chronicles 28:9, 10).
Sometimes generous givers are tempted to think that all they have to give is money. But David had more to give Solomon than architectural plans and money.
The story of the building of the temple is told and retold in 1 Chronicles. In each account, we get a bit more detail of the ways in which David went about laying the tracks (as they say) for his son's, Solomon’s, efforts.
Sometimes generous givers are tempted to think that all they have to give is money. But David had more to give Solomon than architectural plans and money. He provided his son with some of the best spiritual counsel one generation can give to another.
Acknowledge the God of your father. David urged Solomon to make God’s purposes and God’s claims the centerpiece of his thoughts and efforts. This meant making every effort not to be influenced by those ways of life that originated from the worship of other gods, so prevalent in the land of Canaan. Each generation faces its spiritual seductions; it was as true in Solomon’s time as it is today.
Serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind. David wanted Solomon to serve God with unstinting fidelity, both in his actions and his thoughts. In the same way, we must also make sure that our actions conform to what we think and profess to be true. There can be no reservations, no caveats to our commitment.
The Lord searches the heart and understands motives. This was a rather remarkable statement, given that most people in that era and culture didn’t believe that gods had the ability to know or the interest to search out the inner life of a person. In fact, this is an important statement in biblical theology. We respond to a God who knows us better than we know ourselves.
If you seek Him, He will be found. David knew this from experience. There had been tough times in David’s spiritual journey. He knew the loneliness and isolation of spiritual drift; he also knew the graciousness of God, who could be found even when His children hit bottom.
The Lord has chosen you… Finally, the mandate. Solomon hears the challenge. He is God’s man for the moment. Will he align himself with heavenly purposes?
Solomon followed the advice, for a time. And when, in later years, he set the counsel of his father aside and abused the privileges of his kingly office, he fell into disgrace and died in brokenness. For the best and for the worst of reasons, Solomon is a proverb for every man or woman who has been blessed with extraordinary resources and influence.
© Generous Giving, 2002. Used by permission of Generous Giving. All rights reserved.
Generous Giving is an educational stewardship ministry that seeks to encourage givers of all income levels—as well as ministry leaders, pastors and teachers and professional advisors—to fully understand and embrace what it means to live generously, according to God’s word and Christ’s example.
