1 Chronicles 18:1-8: a reflection

1After this, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines. 2He defeated Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute. 3David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, toward Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates. 4David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them enough for one hundred chariots. 5When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians. 6Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. 7David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8From Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took very much bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze sea, the pillars, and the vessels of bronze.

As David wins victory after victory, the text notes that he took the spoils, the gold shields, the great quantities of bronze, from the peoples he defeated. And a detail is preserved: from this bronze that David took and dedicated, Solomon would later make the bronze sea, the pillars, and the vessels for the temple. David did not simply keep the spoils of his victories for himself; he dedicated them to God, and they became material for God's house.

Notice what David did with the gains of his victories: he dedicated them to God. The spoils he won could have been kept for his own enrichment; but David dedicated much of it to God, so that it became material for the temple. The gains God gave him through victory were given back to God, consecrated to his service, made into vessels for his house. David recognized that the victories, and their gains, came from God, and he gave them back.

That dedicating of our gains to God is worth taking to heart. Whatever gains we receive, through success, labor, or God's blessing, we can keep entirely for ourselves, for our own enrichment; or we can, like David, dedicate a portion to God, giving back to him some of what he has given us, consecrating it to his service. The gains we receive are, in the end, God's gifts; and it is fitting to give some back to him. When God gives you gains, through your work, success, or his blessing, do not simply keep them all for yourself; dedicate a portion to God, as David dedicated the spoils of his victories, giving back to him some of what he has given you, consecrating it to his service. Let the gains God gives you become, in part, an offering back to him, made into vessels for his use, as David's spoils became material for the temple. Give back to God some of what he gives you, consecrating your gains to his service, rather than keeping them all for yourself.

Lord, as David won victory after victory, he took the spoils, the gold and bronze, and dedicated them to you, so that they became material for the temple; he did not simply keep the spoils for himself, but gave them back to you, consecrated to your service. Show me what David did with the gains of his victories: he dedicated them to you. The spoils could have been kept for his own enrichment; but David dedicated much of it to you, recognizing that the victories, and their gains, came from you, and giving them back. Take that dedicating of my gains to you to my heart. Whatever gains I receive, through success, labor, or your blessing, I can keep entirely for myself; or I can, like David, dedicate a portion to you, giving back some of what you have given me. The gains I receive are, in the end, your gifts; and it is fitting to give some back to you. When you give me gains, through my work, success, or your blessing, keep me from simply keeping them all for myself; help me dedicate a portion to you, as David dedicated the spoils of his victories. Let the gains you give me become, in part, an offering back to you, Lord, consecrated to your service, as David's spoils became material for the temple. Help me give back to you some of what you give me.