1 Chronicles 28:1-7: a reflection

1David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, the captains of the companies who served the king by division, the captains of thousands, the captains of hundreds, and the rulers over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officers and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valor, to Jerusalem. 2Then David the king stood up on his feet and said, “Hear me, my brothers and my people! As for me, it was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the LORD’s covenant, and for the footstool of our God; and I had prepared for the building. 3But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ 4However the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen Judah to be prince; and in the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. 5Of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons), he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the LORD’s kingdom over Israel. 6He said to me, ‘Solomon, your son, shall build my house and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. 7I will establish his kingdom forever if he continues to do my commandments and my ordinances, as it is today.’

As David assembles Israel's leaders near the end of his life, he tells them of a desire that had been dear to his heart, and how God had given it to another. It was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the LORD's covenant, he says; but God said to me, You shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war. The building of the temple, which David had longed to do, was given not to him but to his son Solomon. And David, rather than resenting this, accepts it graciously and even prepares for Solomon to do it. He supports the one God chose for the work he himself had longed to do.

Notice David's gracious acceptance of God's choice of another for the work he longed to do. David had wanted to build the temple; it was in his heart, a good desire. But God gave the work to Solomon, not to David. David might have resented this, felt the disappointment of being passed over for the work he longed for; but instead he accepted God's choice graciously, announced Solomon as the chosen builder, and prepared materials for him to do it. He did not resent the one God chose; he supported him, made ready for him, rejoiced in the work being done even though by another. David accepted God's assignment of the work to his son, and helped rather than resented.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too may need to accept graciously when God gives to another the work we longed to do, and support them. We can have good desires, longings to do some work for God; and God may give that work to another, not to us. We can resent this, feel passed over, begrudge the one chosen; but David accepted God's choice of Solomon graciously and even prepared for him. There is grace in accepting God's assignment of the work to another and supporting them rather than resenting. Do not resent it when God gives to another the work you longed to do; accept it graciously and support them, as David prepared for Solomon to build the temple. Graciously accept when God assigns to another the work you longed to do, supporting them rather than resenting, as David accepted God's choice of Solomon to build the temple he himself had longed to build; for God assigns his work as he chooses, and there is grace in accepting his choice and helping the one he has chosen rather than begrudging them the work we wanted.

Lord, as David assembles Israel's leaders near the end of his life, he tells them of a desire that had been dear to his heart, and how you had given it to another. It was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the LORD's covenant, he says; but God said to me, you shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war. The building of the temple, which David had longed to do, was given not to him but to his son Solomon. And David, rather than resenting this, accepts it graciously and even prepares for Solomon to do it. Show me David's gracious acceptance of your choice of another for the work he longed to do. David had wanted to build the temple; it was in his heart, a good desire. But you gave the work to Solomon, not to David. David might have resented this, felt the disappointment of being passed over; but instead he accepted your choice graciously, announced Solomon as the chosen builder, and prepared materials for him. He did not resent the one you chose; he supported him. Take that to my heart, for I too may need to accept graciously when you give to another the work I longed to do, and support them. I can have good desires, longings to do some work for you; and you may give that work to another, not to me. I can resent this, feel passed over, begrudge the one chosen; but David accepted your choice of Solomon graciously. There is grace in accepting your assignment of the work to another. Keep me from resenting it when you give to another the work I longed to do; help me accept it graciously and support them, Lord, as David prepared for Solomon to build the temple.