5/23/11

Meditation 8: Do the Work!


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!
(1 Chronicles 28:20).

These were some of David's last words to his son, Solomon, who was a young man at the time, and was overwhelmed by the challenges before him. He was faced with the task of governing a large nation, a people who were "as numerous as the dust of the earth." (2 Chronicles 1:9). More importantly, he was charged with the responsibility of building a temple, a dwelling place for the Most High. His father had prepared all the plans for the temple, but the Lord chose Solomon to build it. It was both a glorious honor and a formidable undertaking. Solomon (understandably) was terrified and overwhelmed.

Apparently, David noticed his son's fear. So, he reminded Solomon that God would empower and equip him to do all that was required of him, and that the Lord would neither fail nor forsake him. David was sympathetic to the reality that Solomon had been charged by God to carry out an intimidating task. But that was not an excuse for him to cower in discouragement, or to govern in fear. Hence, David's admonition that Solomon be "strong and courageous, and do the work." God had given David the plans for the temple, it now was Solomon's privilege and responsibility to build what the Lord had designed.

You and I face an assignment that parallels Solomon's, but is superior in its scope and more glorious in its grandeur. Like Solomon, we have been charged with building a temple for our Lord. The difference is that the temple we are building is one made of flesh, not of stone. It is a temple comprised of people, not of bricks! The temple we are building is the body of Christ, the Church. We are called to build for the Lord a people on whom His glory will rest, and in whom His Spirit will dwell. (Matthew 28:18-20).

Like Solomon's, ours is both a glorious call and an awesome responsibility. The temple the Lord has empowered and commissioned you and me to build is the greatest wonder in all of God's creative order. It is the awesome power and matchless majesty of the Lord revealed by His Church, in whom His Spirit and glory dwell. May we "be strong and courageous, and do the work."

Soli Deo Gloria!







1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great message! I will share it with the leadership of Opportunity International as I saw the exhortation as applying to them and the daunting and yet richly rewarding mission the Lord has given us, to love and serve the poor, giving them a chance to lift themselves out of poverty and live fulfilling lives. Thank you!... A.T.