What a Promise!

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 28 – 29 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – Acts 1 – 3; Psalms 76 – 80; Proverbs 16)

Read the “0516 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“(20) And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 28:20

Our text today brings us to the end of David’s life where he is giving final instructions to his son Solomon and the leaders (“princes and captains” 1 Chronicles 28:1). He explains again that it had been his desire to build the Temple but God had other plans. He also publicly thanks the Lord for making him the king, and for promising to keep his seed on the throne of Israel. He then charges his son Solomon and all of Israel to love and serve the Lord, and to fulfill His will for their lives.

That brings us to the promise made by David in v. 20. David assures Solomon that as long as he is doing what God called him to do that he has absolutely nothing to fear because God would: be with him, not fail him or forsake him, until he completes what God called him to do. For Solomon, that meant building the Temple and reigning as king over Israel.

I believe that this promise is applicable for us today as well. God has a plan and purpose for each of our lives, and as long as we are living inside of the will of God, doing what He wants us to do, we are basically invincible. God will give us everything that we need to fulfill His will, and He will also protect us from anyone or anything that tries to deter us from doing what He has called us to do. What a promise! However, this promise does not apply to those who are living out their own will; it only is good for those who are yielded to the will of God.

Question – Are you living your life doing what you want to do, or are you fulfilling God’s will for your life? If you are not sure about what God’s purpose for your life is yet, then I would suggest that you do three things:

1. Seek God’s will through the Word of God. the Bible reveals the will of God principally in a general way. God will never specifically direct you contrary to His word.
2. Seek God’s will through prayer. Pray about what God wants you to do, where He wants you to do it, and who He wants you to do it with.
3. Seek God’s will through godly counsel. Once you have a good idea of what you think God wants for your life, run it by someone who also is walking with the Lord inside of His will. Ask your parents, pastors, or other godly counselors for their input. Don’t shop for counsel, but ask specific mentors to be brutally honest with you. Enlist their prayer support as well.

What a blessing it is to know that we don’t have to worry about anything as we live for the Lord as His ambassadors here on the earth. He has got our backs. He goes before us and surrounds us. He provides and protects us every step of the way. And when we are finished with what He has called us to do here, He will bring us home to Heaven.