My God is With You

I Chronicles 28.9: “And Solomon, my son, get to know the God of your ancestors. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and with a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and under-stands and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”

The phrase that catches my attention is “For the LORD sees every heart and understands and knows every plan and thought.”

Nothing is hidden from God. Not the things I hide from others. Not the things I hide from myself. Not even the things I try to hide from God.

Next is, “If you seek him, you will find him.”

David had gone through a lot by the time he uttered these words. They were spoken near the end of his life, as he turned his throne over to his son and successor, Solomon. He had been pursued by Saul, he had been challenged by the Philistines and other neighboring nations, he had been confronted by his own guilt in his dealings with Bathsheba and the census taking, and had even been challenged by members of his own administration and family.

Yet, here he stands and tells his son and successor that if Solomon seeks God, Solomon will find God.

“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged by the size of the task, for the LORD God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the LORD is finished correctly.” 1 Chronicles 28. 20

The job that had been given to Solomon by God was building the original Temple. A truly daunting job. David had drawn up plans for the construction and had dedicated materials and funds for the project, but that didn’t reduce the scope of it. A huge challenge lay ahead of Solomon from before the time he inherited the throne. He was going to need a lot of help to get it done.

David promised that help in the form of God. “My God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

How often do I look at that projects before me and think, “There’s no way that’s going to get done. I don’t even know where to start!”

I have never faced anything like building a temple, but some of the portraits I’ve accepted and some of the stories I’ve been given to write present an array of challenges all their own. It’s oh so tempting to look at them and turn away, certain I’ll never be able to complete them.

But David says to me, “My God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

I have to remember that if this part of David’s statement is true, then the rest of it is true, as well. “He (God) will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the LORD is finished correctly.”

Implied in that sentiment is the additional sentiment that I’m listening for God’s input, that I’m yielding to His will, and that I’m doing what He asks me to do.

If I’m not listening, I won’t hear and will mess everything up, sooner or later. I can’t help it. I’m human.

If I’m not yielding to His will, it doesn’t matter what I hear. Hearing is only part of the program. I have to yield, I have to do what I’m told, too. That’s where things sometimes get sticky.

We all have moments when we’re yielded and compliant, waiting for that still, small voice. Those are the moments when we’re of the most use to God.

But we also all have moments when we aren’t listening because we’re too busy doing what we think should be done; or when we hear but choose not to yield; or when we hear but deliberately do something else. In my case, that’s more often than not.

That’s when I most need to heed the reminders of King David and get to know the God of my ancestors, and to worship Him with my whole heart and with a willing mind.

Make it so, Most Holy God.