2 Chronicles 3:1-7: a reflection

1Then Solomon began to build the LORD’s house at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared to David his father, which he prepared in the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2He began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign. 3Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of God’s house: the length by cubits after the first measure was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits. 4The porch that was in front, its length, across the width of the house, was twenty cubits, and the height one hundred twenty; and he overlaid it within with pure gold. 5He made the larger room with a ceiling of cypress wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and ornamented it with palm trees and chains. 6He decorated the house with precious stones for beauty. The gold was gold from Parvaim. 7He also overlaid the house, the beams, the thresholds, its walls, and its doors with gold, and engraved cherubim on the walls.

When Solomon builds the temple, he builds it with the finest materials and the greatest care, overlaying it with pure gold, adorning it with precious stones, giving God the very best. He overlaid the house, the beams, the thresholds, the walls, and the doors with gold, the account says, and decorated the house with precious stones for beauty. Nothing was too good for the house of God; Solomon gave the finest gold, the most precious stones, the most skilled workmanship, sparing no expense or care in what he offered to God. The temple was built with excellence, with the best that could be given. This shows the fittingness of giving God our best in what we offer him. Give God your best, not what is left over. Solomon built the temple with the finest materials and greatest care. Nothing was too good for the house of God. Offer God excellence, the best you can give.

Notice the care and excellence with which Solomon built the temple. He did not build it cheaply or carelessly, with whatever was easiest or left over; he built it with the finest materials, pure gold overlaying the walls and beams and doors, precious stones for beauty, the most skilled workmanship, sparing no cost or care. He gave God the very best. This reflects a fitting principle for what we offer to God. God is worthy of our best, not our leftovers, not what is cheapest or easiest, but the finest we can give, offered with care and excellence. This applies to more than buildings; it applies to all we offer God, our time, our efforts, our gifts, our worship, our service. We can be tempted to give God our leftovers, the scraps of our time and energy, careless and half-hearted; but God is worthy of our best, of care and excellence in what we offer him. As Solomon spared no care in building the temple, so we do well to give God our best, offering him excellence rather than leftovers, care rather than carelessness, in all we bring to him. Give God your best, offered with care and excellence. God is worthy of our finest, not our leftovers. Offer God excellence in all you bring to him. Do not give God careless leftovers; give him your best.

That is worth taking to heart, for God is worthy of our best, and we do well to give him excellence rather than leftovers in what we offer him, as Solomon built the temple with the finest materials and greatest care. We can be tempted to give God our leftovers, the scraps of our time and effort, careless and half-hearted; but Solomon spared no cost or care in building the temple, giving God the very best. God is worthy of our finest. Do not give God careless leftovers; give him your best, offering excellence and care in all you bring to him. Give God your best, offering excellence and care rather than careless leftovers in all you bring to him, as Solomon, when he built the temple, built it with the finest materials and greatest care, overlaying it with pure gold, adorning it with precious stones, and sparing no cost or care, giving God the very best; for nothing was too good for the house of God, and Solomon offered the finest gold, the most precious stones, and the most skilled workmanship, which reflects a fitting principle for all we offer God, since God is worthy of our best, not our leftovers or what is cheapest and easiest, but the finest we can give offered with care and excellence, and this applies to more than buildings, to all we offer God, our time, efforts, gifts, worship, and service, so that though we can be tempted to give God our leftovers, the scraps of our time and energy, careless and half-hearted, God is worthy of our best, and as Solomon spared no care in building the temple we do well to give God excellence rather than leftovers and care rather than carelessness in all we bring to him.

Lord, when Solomon builds the temple, he builds it with the finest materials and the greatest care, overlaying it with pure gold, adorning it with precious stones, giving you the very best. He overlaid the house, the beams, the thresholds, the walls, and the doors with gold, the account says, and decorated the house with precious stones for beauty. Nothing was too good for your house; Solomon gave the finest gold, the most precious stones, the most skilled workmanship, sparing no expense or care in what he offered to you. The temple was built with excellence. This shows the fittingness of giving you my best in what I offer you. Show me the care and excellence with which Solomon built the temple. He did not build it cheaply or carelessly, with whatever was easiest or left over; he built it with the finest materials, sparing no cost or care. He gave you the very best. This reflects a fitting principle for what I offer to you. You are worthy of my best, not my leftovers, not what is cheapest or easiest, but the finest I can give, offered with care and excellence. This applies to all I offer you, my time, my efforts, my gifts, my worship, my service. I can be tempted to give you my leftovers, the scraps of my time and energy, careless and half-hearted; but you are worthy of my best. Take that to my heart, for you are worthy of my best, and I do well to give you excellence rather than leftovers. Keep me from giving you careless leftovers, the scraps of my time and effort; help me give you my best, Lord, offering excellence and care in all I bring to you, as Solomon spared no care in building the temple, for you are worthy of my finest.