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PREPARING TO BUILD THE TEMPLE (1 CHRONICLES 22:1-10)

REFLECTION

Preparing to build the temple is the theme for our reflection. To prepare means to make (something) ready for use. To build means to construct (something) by putting parts or materials together. A temple is a place or building for religious worship. We shall reflect on the fact that leaders must listen and abide by the will of God. Again leaders of today must be intergenerational thinkers and forward-looking.

Firstly, leaders, especially, leaders must learn to discern the voice and will of God who placed them in leadership positions to be stewards.. David had the intention to build the temple of the Lord but God did not permit Him but chose David’s son, Solomon to build His temple. David humbled himself and followed the will of God. “David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. 8 But this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.” (1 Chronicles 22:7-10) The examples of the transportation of the Ark of the Covenant without following the will of God and conducting of census of the army without God’s approval have shown that anytime God was disobeyed or His will was not fulfilled, it comes with dire or catastrophic consequences. David being aware of these facts, prepared Solomon to be the one to build the temple of the Lord since that was the Lord’s will. Can leaders of our time discern the voice of God or the will of God and allow His will to be done? Sometimes we may be doing things to please God as leaders but have we really sat down to reflect on our plans and to seek the will of God through prayer and consultation with those we lead? God sometimes may speak to us through a person, through our collective deliberations and through events. We must have a discerning leadership ready to listen to God and do His will.

Secondly, David did not become indifferent because his earnest desire to build a temple for the Lord was stopped or denied by the Lord. He was an intergenerational thinker and forward-looking therefore “David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death.” (1 Chronicles 22:5) Therefore, “…David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God. 3 He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. 4 He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.” (1 Chronicles 22:2-4). In every Church and nation, we need leaders who are intergenerational thinkers and foreword-looking. In other words, our leadership must not only impact our generation but must also have an impact on posterity. David used his power and influence to secure or procure the relevant materials that will be used for the building of the temple. David’s leadership approach will certainly lessen the burden of His successor, Solomon when it is time for Him to build the temple. Indeed, to inherit some leaders is a burden and not a blessing because they leave nothing substantial behind for the next leader to build on. The next leader would have to start from scratch or the very foundation. We can create a better and prosperous future for the next generation if we are selfless and forward-looking. Some African politicians are wicked and lack intergenerational, forward-looking and strategic thinking hence they deplete the natural resources, and run the economy into unprecedented debt making life more difficult and unbearable for the next generation. David has taught us to prepare and make adequate provision for the next generation of leaders. We fail our children and the next generation as parents, church leaders and leaders in Government if our current policies, plans, interventions, actions and inaction do not leave them any substantial legacy to build on. In other words, we have failed the next generation if they have nowhere to continue from or nothing to build on.

In summary, we have learnt that leaders must listen to God and abide by His will. Again, leaders of today must be intergenerational thinkers and forward-looking. Shalom.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, strengthen us to do the will of God as leaders and even as we provide intergenerational leadership to the glory of God. Amen