Contemplating Life

Contemplating the Lessons of Life.
1 Chronicles 26-30
“Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now, therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name. But who am I, and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given to you.”
It is easy to focus on our accomplishments and failures, taking pride in our achievements or degrading ourselves due to our failures. David knew both sides of the coin. There were times in his life when he felt overwhelmed and abandoned by God and unworthy of God’s blessing because of his failure and sin (Psalm 38). There were times when he experienced God’s blessing, care, and triumph over his enemies (Psalm 23). At the end of 1 Chronicles, we find David passing the torch of leadership to his son Solomon. His greatest desire was to build the temple for God, however, because of his sin and his unchecked bloodshed, God prohibited him from doing so. Now, as he is at the end of his life and reign, he takes a moment to reflect upon his life and give instructions to his son as he ascends to the throne.  
As he reflects upon his life and gives instruction to Solomon, the first lesson he desires to pass on is the importance of whole-hearted obedience. David had experienced firsthand the joys of God’s blessings and the pain of God’s discipline. For David, this had taught him that the key to life and success is found in whole-hearted obedience to God. There had been times when David thought he could not only conceal his sin from others, but he could even conceal it from God (Psalm 32:3). But we cannot flee from the piercing eye of God’s omniscience. He sees the heart, and he sees every action and perceives every thought. Thus, he reminds Solomon to guard his heart and make sure that he keeps his devotion to God. If Solomon seeks God, God will always be present, but if in his pride he abandons God and rejects God’s Word, God will bring his judgment and discipline. The starting and ending point of a successful life is found in our obedience to God.
The second lesson David learned was not to become overwhelmed by fear when adversity came and his enemies surrounded him. In the Psalms, David reveals that there were times when fear gripped his heart and he felt abandoned by God (Psalm 22:1-2). Yet God always proved faithful. Even though he lost sight of God, God never lost sight of him. Thus, he encourages Solomon to always remain firm in his faith. No matter how uncertain the days become, no matter how many enemies surround him, he should never give in to fear and anxiety, for God will “not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished” (1 Chron. 28:20).
Last, David reminds Solomon of the importance of recognizing that success and achievements do not come from our abilities or strength, but from God. God is the one who gives honor and the strength and ability to accomplish anything in life (29:12-13). David recognized that the wealth that he had accumulated to build the temple was not the result of his ability or efforts; it was the work of the sovereign God, who is the source of all things.
Just as Solomon needed to be reminded of these truths, so also we need to be reminded of these same truths today. As we go through life, success is not achieved by our abilities or efforts; instead, it comes from the hand of the gracious God. He is the one who gives success. The key to life is not found in what we achieve or possess, but in how we obey God and keep his commandments. The same prayer David prayed for Solomon is the same prayer we ourselves must pray, “O Lord…give my Son Solomon a perfect heart to keep your commandments, Your testimonies and your statutes, and to do them all, and to build the temple, for which I have made provision.”  May that be our prayer and the prayer for our children.