I Chronicles 22:5 Now David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. I will now make preparation for it.” So David made abundant preparations before his death.

Do you like group projects? I have to admit I never did like them. It always seemed someone in the group did the work and others got the benefit. Imagine your group project was a ‘grand slam.’ Think how that would feel if in the final analysis, your name was left out completely. I think that would be hard to take.

David had long wanted to build a temple for God. The tabernacle was designed as  temporary and movable. But David imagined a grand structure that was in keeping with God’s magnificence. But God said, ‘no.’ Or rather, He said David was not the man for the job. His son Solomon would build it. Rather than be consumed with jealously or frustration, David got to work. Even though he would not be the one to build it, he decided that he could do the preparation. He made abundant preparations. He made it possible for another to succeed. The temple was ultimately built and was often referred to as Solomon’s Temple. But it would never have been possible without David’s preparations.

Sometimes I might want to do some work for God. I might have a vision for something that would outlast me. Am I willing to pour myself into a project for God knowing that I will never see the end result? Am I willing to work for God knowing, after it’s all said and done, my name will not be attached to it? Am I willing to not get the credit?

John the Baptist said, “He must be come greater, I must become less.” What ‘abun-dant preparations’ could I be making that would bring glory to God after I’m gone? That’s a great question to ask God this week.

Blessings, 

Pastor Russ