Good Monday to you my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
RESOURCING any project requires lots of planning, do you agree? And the bigger the project the greater the need for planning! Resourcing usually means the TIME required; the TALENTS and skills needed; the MANPOWER needed; the FINANCES required and finally the LEADERSHIP which will pull it all together and oversee the project from beginning to end. I wonder what big projects you’ve been part of in your life and what role you had in accomplishing the project? In Bible history perhaps the greatest, most complex and expensive project of all time was the building of the great Temple of God in Jerusalem, during the early reign of King Solomon.
Yesterday I left you in the Jerusalem palace throne room as King David was transitioning the Kingship of Israel to his son Solomon as recorded in 1 Chronicles 28. While assuming the role of king was monumental, David was also challenging Solomon to assume responsibility for this, the greatest project ever attempted in Israel’s history. David handed Solomon the scrolls which contained the specific dimensions of the Temple and all the details regarding the building materials, especially the gold, silver and precious jewels! David warned Solomon to be very careful in this project since every detail in the specifications had been given to David from Almighty God Himself! (1 Chronicles 28:11-21) Can you imagine the heavy weight of expectations Solomon must have felt at that moment?
But then David did something courageous and exemplary of a good leader when facing a monumental project. David challenged all the leaders to engage with Solomon in making major preparations and David led the way by example. David said: “My son Solomon, the man whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the LORD God. With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God – gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and precious stones, all in great quantity. Besides all this, in my devotion to this temple of God, I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver over and above everything I have provided... Now who is willing to consecrate themselves to the LORD today?” (1 Chronicles 29:1-5)
Imagine yourself in that palace throne room, now looking around at Israel’s leadership. What do you see on their faces? What is stirring in their hearts as they look at young Solomon and consider the leadership David is providing them?
The record says: “Then the leaders…the commanders…and the officials gave willingly, toward the work of the Temple of God…The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David and King Solomon also rejoiced greatly.” (1 Chronicles 29:6-9) Do you see enthusiastic response by Israel’s leadership to the sacrificial model set by David, their retiring king? Do you see excitement by their new king, young Solomon, as he watched Israel’s leaders rally to support this huge endeavor? And do you notice the response of the people as they watch their leaders lead with enthusiastic, united, self-sacrifice? A huge momentum wave of confidence in their leadership swept across the people of Israel that day.
As I write this, I’m reminded of a prolonged US Government shutdown that our world witnessed only a few weeks ago. America and our world cried out for elected leaders to lead as they spent six weeks frozen in their refusal. David did something that was glaringly absent from the American government shutdown. 1 Chronicles 29:10 shows us “David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying: ‘Praise be to YOU, O LORD, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor…Yours is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all…we give YOU thanks, and we praise Your glorious Name!” (1 Chronicles 29:10-13)
What do you see David doing here my friends? I see David refusing to take credit for this great momentum of leadership unity in support of God’s great Temple project. Rather, I see David drawing all leaders together in giving all praise and honor to the God of Israel! This project was a God initiated project and this initial wave of resources was God provided!
David knew, as he handed over the leadership reins to his son Solomon, that both Solomon and ALL leaders of Israel would need to have their hearts and minds focused on God as their leader. It would be easy for them to hail David as their great leader and continually compare Solomon’s leadership to David’s. But David knew his effectiveness in leadership relied entirely upon his obedience to God’s directions and his faithfulness to God’s holy standards. Solomon and these leaders would need to do the same. Have you ever seen something like this in any large project you’ve been part of?
My friends, I urge you to carefully read the remainder of David’s prayer as recorded in 1 Chronicles 29:14-20. Look closely for every evidence of David’s humble perspective and his effective, God honoring, worshipful transition of leadership to his son Solomon, and his efforts to rally the focus of resourcing this huge project on God Himself! As you read, consider what your resourcing attitudes have been when you have faced major project involvement.
I also urge you to read Deuteronomy 8. Powerful words from Moses which fit so perfectly with building a resourcing philosophy which is God reliant and God honoring! As you consider the time remaining in your life; the talents and treasure God has provided you; the big question is this: is your heart and soul so closely aligned with God’s heart that you’ll be able to discern God’s guidance? And will you follow Him as the Spirit of God calls you to involvement in big projects God is seeking to accomplish for HIS glory? Pause and ponder that!
Additional notes for consideration are at the Grand Narrative link below and I’ve found a wonderful worship song that will draw your heart to God’s Sovereign leadership. Is the story of your life an advertisement for the greatness and the faithfulness of God? I’ll be waiting here for you tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:1-20.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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