Knowing God’s plan is essential. Planning brings the future into the present so we can act wisely.
All these people we’ve been reading about? Here they are at the capital for the Big Event: “all the leaders…the officers…the captains…and the stewards…with the officials, the valiant men, and all the mighty men of valor” (1 Chron 28:1). Quite a pageant! Once they were assembled, perhaps on what Nehemiah described as “the stairway of the wall, beyond the house of David” (Neh 12:37), “King David rose to his feet and said, ‘Hear me, my brethren and my people’” (1 Chron 28:2). He recounted his own desire to build “a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God” (v 2). Some footstool—from our perspective! But as the Lord later says, our whole planet is a footstool to Him (Isa 66:1). But because David had been “a man of war” (v 3), God would use Solomon instead to rear the temple. Nevertheless, said David, “the Lord God of Israel chose me above all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever” (v 4). There’s a lot at stake here, he says—not just me and my son. God has determined, with all our missteps en route, to establish an everlasting dynasty, ending with the Messiah! But now Solomon, for your part, “know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts” (v 9). What is done through us for God is important, but what is done in us is paramount. Notice “the plans” to be used had been received “by the Spirit” (v 12) and “‘all this,’ said David, ‘the Lord made me understand…by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans’” (v 19). We’ve also been given plans for the work we are to do, with God’s Spirit to teach us. May we “Be strong and of good courage, and do it” (v 20).