Day 110, or April 20.
Play your part to the full.
Our thoughts today are rooted in 1 Chronicles chapter 28 verse 20.
David also said to Solomon his son, Be strong and courageous and do the work.
Do not be afraid or discouraged, For the Lord God, my God, is with you.
He will not fail you or forsake you, Until all the work for the service of the temple
of the Lord is finished.
Now the big picture surrounding this verse.
The closing years of the reign of King David see a clearly God-ordained transition to the
rule of King Solomon.
Not only does David pour out his heart and soul into temple preparations, but he also
counsels his son to be the best God-empowered king possible.
He urges Solomon to serve God with a whole heart and a willing mind reminding him that
if you seek God, he will let you find him.
David does all this despite the probability that Solomon was not his first choice.
His favourite son was Absalom, and but for that tragic death that devastated his father,
it seems very likely that Absalom would have succeeded David.
It may have disappointed David, but he makes it very clear that it is what God wants that
matters and Solomon had been chosen to build the temple in Jerusalem.
And now our action step for today.
David gives some sound advice to his son Solomon shortly before his accession to the throne
of Israel.
It means there is too much stress in our churches today to believe the right things, and not
enough emphasis on acting in accordance with those beliefs.
Despite the obvious disappointment of not building the temple himself, which must have
hit David hard, he nevertheless does the work God has given him and trusts God that others
will play their part in continuing God's overall plan.
Very few of us have smooth edges to our lives or ministries, and yet so many of us are tempted
to spend a lot of time either finding them or even producing them ourselves.
Don't be afraid of ragged edges.
Just do the work God has entrusted to you.