Good Advice for a Son

I read a passage a few days ago that was so profound, I marked it so I could write about it later. 

Here's the setting: 
King David called all the officials of Israel to Jerusalem, along with the princes of the tribes and the military commanders. He brought all the civil, religious, and military leaders together for one gigantic meeting. 

He rose to his feet to make an announcement. He wanted to build a permanent house for God and had made preparations to build it. When David said he had made preparations, it was a classic understatement. He had drawn the plans, assembled the building materials, hired the builders. He'd done everything that was in his heart, not to get the people's accolades, but because He loved the Lord with his whole heart. 

It must have been a terrible blow to him when God said David was not to build His house. "You're a man of war and blood shed." If I'd been David, I'd have argued. "You're the One who made me a man of war. I was a shepherd before You got me started with warring." David, however, was a better follower than I. He just said, "Yes, Sir."

I might have tried to hide the blow from the leaders, or cushion it at bit, but not David. He said, "I wanted to do this, but God said I wasn't fit for the job." 

As God always does, He offered a "nevertheless". (this is the Leanna paraphrase coming up.) "I'm not going to let you build the temple, David, because you're a man of war. I need a man of rest to build it, so I'm going to let your son, Solomon, build it." 

As a parent, there is no greater joy than to see my son blessed, to see the favor of God rest on him. I imagine David was the same. 

David made his announcement. Solomon would build the temple. People probably gasped. Solomon was young for such a big project. 

David turned to Solomon and, with everyone listening, he gave words of wisdom to his son. If Solomon had heeded them, things in Israel would have turned out much differently.

"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him..." 1 Chronicles 28:9 nasb

David didn't give Solomon building advice, management suggestions, or tips for bringing such a project in on time.

He gave Solomon advice about his heart, his faith, his integrity.

A relationship with God was not too hard to have. Seek and find. That's all that's required to know God. 

If you seek Him, He'll let you find Him. 

In my mind's eye, I see a boy looking for God. When he least expects it, God steps out, laughing, and says, "Here I am!" Arms open wide, He welcomes the boy to the One he most desires. Right when the boy least expects it. Right when the boy thinks he won't find the object of his search. "Here I am!" God says when he lets the boy find Him.

Maybe the boy realizes it, or maybe he doesn't, but that seeking had a purpose. It solidified his resolve to find God. It pushed his desire. It made him value both the search and the finding. It might've been hard, but it was worth it.

David's relationship with God wouldn't do for Solomon. He had to find and build a relationship of his own. He had to own his faith.

Solomon was to seek and find God first, but when he did, David had a bit of wisdom for that, too. He'd learned from experience.

Get to know God. If you get to know Him, you'll want to serve Him.

Serve Him with your whole heart and a willing mind.

Decide to serve God, and do it because you know Him and want to serve Him. Not because of something He might do for you.

It's good wisdom for us, too. Get to know God. If you seek Him, He'll let you find Him. When He does, you'll be so blown away by His goodness, His majesty, His personal love for you, that you'll want to serve Him.

What about us? Do we need to do a little seeking? Press a little harder to have a deeper relationship? 

Maybe what we need is a willing mind or an unfettered heart. 

If we seek Him, He will let us find Him. It's good news in a world that's filled with me.

Seek. Find. Love. Serve. Good words for a good life.

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Check back tonight for Friday Night with Friends. Coach Jon Ginn is our guest blogger.

Studying God's Word is a good way to seek Him. Join us as we study Hosea in depth. Visit http//lessonsindiscipleship.blogspot.com and get started today!

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Here's the link to yesterday's post: A Story in Six Words
http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2016/05/a-story-in-six-words.html

#goodadvice #GoodFriday #seekGod