"David said, "My son is young and inexperienced, and the house for the Lord should be of great splender and fame in the sight of all nations. I will make preparations for it." So David made extensive preparations before his death." (1 Chronicles 22:5 NIV)
King David laid a solid foundation of worship and obedience for his son, Solomon. It turns out that what we do with God affects the next generation: the way we worship, our acts of obedience, our investment in the Kingdom all make an impact on the age to come. All of these things matter eternally. But far more immediately: our decisions affect our children.
David did everything in his power to to set his son up for spiritual success. He had divine vision about what would come next in the Kingdom and he made extensive preparations to ensure that it would come to pass. Of course, Solomon still had free will, but his father had set him up for an incredible reign.
I think back to my own dear mother. It’s hard to believe she’s been Home nine years this Christmas. Not a day passes by without thinking of her, missing her. She was a force: her melodious laugh filled the room. Her unrestrained creative made a mark on every available surface. And her zeal for the Lord was contagious. Like King David, my mother set me up for spiritual success. She deeply invested herself in the Kingdom and when she died, she left a treasure trove of resources for her children. Some were physical: books and journals, but most were intangible: conversations and prayers. Over the years she had consistently stockpiled the very best into her children. I now now that I stand on her spiritual shoulders each and every day.
The wheels of time continue to turn: my own daughter is preparing to answer her call and step off into a lifetime of ministry. It’s my responsibility to make the investment: setting aside blessings for the Kingdom still to come. One generation will continue stand upon another if we each, in turn, choose to submit to God’s will for our lives.
If this sort of eye and instrument is true of human kings and flesh and blood parents, how much more true is it of our heavenly Father? His word promises us:
"By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all this by coming to know Him, the One who has called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence." (2 Peter 1:3 NLT)
Our Good Father has graciously stored up all we need for life and godliness. We access His treasure by coming into His presence and presenting our requests. Like Solomon, we are gifted with free will. The Father forces Himself on no one. If He did, it would no longer be love but compulsion. We gain unlimited access to His spiritual treasure trove when we recognize Jesus as Savior, God as our Father and when we submit to the superintendence of Scripture as sons and daughters should.
Lord, today we recognize the treasures You have stored up for us. You have a good plan for building up Your Kingdom. May we cooperate with Your good will and fulfill our obligation to the next generation and invest accordingly. Amen.