Prepare to Serve
Daily Old Testament Reading: Psalm 108-110 1 Chronicles 23
Daily Focus Passage: 1 Chronicles 23
David desired to construct the Temple during his reign. As he made preparations, the Lord sent a message through Nathan that David would not build the Temple because he was a house of blood. Instead, the Lord declared that his son Solomon would receive the blessing of erecting the Temple. This news did not deter David from serving the Lord or preparing for the Temple's construction. David prepared the way for the House of the Lord with the understanding that he would never see fulfillment. We must follow the example of David and form a servant's heart and attitude to the place where we serve the Lord in preparation to serve and for others to serve.
WE MUST ORGANIZE FOR SERVICE
David took the initiative to organize the people to serve the Lord in the Temple. David knew he could not construct the Temple but took seriously the need to organize people to serve once the Temple was built. The organization created the servants to carry out the ministry, worship, and service required to glorify the Lord. In a way, David was preparing the people for service long before the service in the Temple was needed.
We must develop the ability to see forward and aid in preparing the people for what does not yet exist. We must invest in the next generation to prepare them for serving the Lord in faithfulness. When we take the initiative like David, we recognize that we exist to serve the Lord and others and that our mission is to be disciples who make disciples. Thus, we must work at organizing for service what we might never experience.
HOW WE MUST ORGANIZE FOR SERVICE
David's work centered around arranging certain tribes to take on certain tasks. This delegation occurred not by the desires of David, but instead, it occurred under the leadership of the Lord. David allowed the Lord to guide his steps in preparing the people to serve. Thus, when we seek to organize and invest in the future, we must do so under the leadership of the Lord.
David organized the people with a focus on giving God glory. The work did not exist because of David's name or renown; instead, David only desired to glorify the Lord in the work. The same desire must exist in us. We must work for the Lord and prepare for the future work of the Lord that brings glory to the Lord alone. Our desire must be that the Lord alone is the one known.
David expected a personal focus to exist. David understood that the Lord had crafted each individual to serve the Lord. Thus, David placed people into positions of service based on their giftedness. The same must occur today. As we prepare for ministry, we must seek to put people in positions to use their giftedness from the Lord. This approach elevates the ability of the church to function as a body.
WE MUST REMEMBER TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
David knew he would not see the completion of the Temple. This knowledge did not stop him from preparing for the work. His focus remained on what the next generation would experience in the Lord's work in the Temple's building. He knew he played an essential role in preparing the way for the next generation's work. David concerned himself more with serving the Lord and others than being done, and thus he worked to prepare the way for those who would follow.
We must seek to develop a heart to prepare for the next generation. We must understand that we may not receive the blessing of the finished task, but we do receive the blessing of serving the Lord. We must battle against the threat of living in a mentality of "what do we get out of it" and seeking to live with a heart of serving the Lord. Our hearts must be centered on serving the Lord and even the next generations by playing the important role of preparation.
