If we only had a week to live or a month to live, what would our final days and hours look like? I’m sure most of us have had this question posed to us in one form or another. Several years ago a movie came out entitled “The Bucket List”. In this movie there are two gentleman who are nearing their end who have complied a list of things they must do before they die. What about us though? What would we do with our remaining time? King David, as he was reaching his end demonstrated his own love for God and love for people, something that all of us are called to do by God.
The first thing David does is let go of what has been a lifelong dream.
1 Chronicles 28:2-3 “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it. 3 But God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.’
Despite all of David’s accomplishments, his biggest dream was to build a temple, a place of worship for God. Imaging that? What is the one thing you really desire to accomplish before you leave this earth? Imagine letting go of that. But David recognized that he had accomplished what God had called him to do. All of us are called by God to contribute to this generation. Sometimes the dreams we have, no matter how great, are not ours to carry out. David had done, even in this dream, what God had called him to. More importantly David had accomplished all that God had for him and now it was time to pass this dream on. He made the plans, brought the vision before the people and even had the resources but God had called Solomon to carry out the task.
After David surrenders this dream, he passes on to Solomon the crown and with it the wisdom that David has gained through his successes and failures as king.
1 Chronicles 28:9, 20 And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind…Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.
Solomon, follow God and serve Him wholeheartedly. Son, I know what happens when we do our own thing. It may seem too much at times and even downright scary but God has called you to be the next king, do it well. Follow God and trust Him wholeheartedly.
After David does passes on these words to Solomon and makes him king, he chooses to spend his last bit of time praising God before the people and encouraging them as well to never forsake the Lord and turn away to other gods. The temple was to be a reminder of God’s glory and faithfulness and blessing. David desires for his son and his people to remember God and follow him.
All of us have been called to contribute to this generation even if we aren’t king. We have been called as parents, grandparents, friends, teachers, mentors and many other ways. What is the legacy we are leaving in that? What will those who have known us see? David was an incredibly flawed leader, yet, he was called a man after God’s heart by God. I think we see why in his last days. He loved God, he loved the people and he spent his last days praising God and encouraging the people to follow God. I hope our legacy is the same, that we pass on to those in our lives a legacy of a passionate pursuit of God.
Have a great week!
Pastor Stan and Polly
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