King David closed out the final chapter of his life in awe of the number of people willing to offer help to build a glorious temple (I Chronicles 29). There was a willingness to share whatever resources, time and expertise they could to complete this momentous task. It also meant people were largely in agreement with the work of God to build a place where sacrifice and worship was central to the nation’s spiritual life.
Today the temple is our bodies where the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the life of a believer (I Corinthians 6:19). The apostle Paul writes, ” Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1, NIV)
The same willingness to build the temple in King Solomon’s day is the same willingness we need today as the Holy Spirit does internal construction in our hearts. There must be willingness to say yes to His conviction, His wooing, His direction, regardless to what we think or feel.
The process of construction can be painful and ugly. It sometimes means tearing down walls of pride and indifference, pulling up rotting floor boards we so proudly stood and other structural changes that might be uncomfortable and difficult.
But what makes willingness so hard? Our will!
Too often we tend to focus on the past and can’t seem to see a future that is more glorious and wonderful as the Lord promised. We suffer from terminal thinking – we say things like, “This is all that is left of my life,” or “It’s too overwhelming,” or “What does it matter?” Doubt and fear cloud our vision. All we see is construction demos and loud machinery and watch as dirt and dust swirl through the rooms but never do we see the end result!
King David knew something of God’s sovereignty. God inspired King David with the plans to build the temple and possessed everything to make it happen. David says, “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.” I Chronicles 29: 14, KJV). God is the one who possess all things. So He can impart or take away at will.
How can we be so selfish and unwilling to let Him reconstruct us when He has given us so freely good and pleasant things to beautify His temple (us)?
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