But It's Not My Idea

At the end of 1 Chronicles, there is something that may be easy to miss. It has application to the question: what is our response when someone asks us to do a big task that may not be our original idea?

Newly crowned King Solomon was handed an enormous task from his father, King David. Building a  house/temple for the Lord God was not Solomon's own idea, but his father's. His father had the idea, gathered the materials, and drew up detailed plans. Some years before, the Lord had made it clear to David that even though building the house for God was his idea, David would not be the one to build it. His son would.

So before he died, King David handed all the plans and materials over to Solomon, commissioning him to build it for God.

Solomon took the mantle of serving as King from his father and eventually began the enormous task of constructing this magnificent house. I don't know how Solomon reacted to inheriting this task, but he recognized and accepted it as from the Lord.

And therein lies the key. Sometimes the Lord gives us big ideas or ministry or other things that come through someone else. Maybe it is handed to us. Maybe we inherit it. It may be already prepared to some extent, but it now needs our leadership and energy.

If we recognize and believe, as Solomon did, that it is ours from God, that makes all the difference.

Not all things handed to us or requested of us are necessarily "from God." But when it is, we honor Him and fulfill His will by owning it and moving forward with it.

All the Father is Doing

God the Father is constantly at work. John 5 tells us He is doing things. “For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing.” And much of what the Father is doing, you and I cannot see.

As I contemplate the fact that God is constantly doing things, my heart stirs. Something is changing deep inside. My faith re-kindles. My perspective radically alters. And I am more willing to wait on God because I believe He has a plan bigger and better and far greater than I could ever dream up (which includes heaven too).

Because if God is constantly at work, then I can trust Him even when I cannot see. Or when a prayer seemed unanswered. Or a loss rips my heart. Or when God may seem silent. I can lay it at the feet of Jesus, like I did last week, knowing that He is wholly faithful and true, and believing that He will work according to His good and perfect will. I can trust. And trust is the backbone of waiting on God.

Since God is constantly at work, I can also step forward in faith as His Spirit prompts. That is partnering with God in doing something that may or may not make sense to me, that may or may not be convenient, but it is something He wants to do and He is prompting me through His Spirit to simply do it.

The Father is at work. The Son is at work. Believe. Trust.