Shepherd To King-Day 19

16 Sep Shepherd To King-Day 19

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 22:11-16-NLT- “Now, my son, may the LORD be with you and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the LORD your God. And may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the LORD your God as you rule over Israel. For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the LORD gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart! ‘I have worked hard to provide materials for building the Temple of the LORD—nearly 4,000 tons of gold, 40,000 tons of silver, and so much iron and bronze that it cannot be weighed. I have also gathered timber and stone for the walls, though you may need to add more. You have a large number of skilled stonemasons and carpenters and craftsmen of every kind. You have expert goldsmiths and silversmiths and workers of bronze and iron. Now begin the work, and may the LORD be with you!’” 

Please click here to read the full chapter to gain greater insight and understanding: 1 Chronicles 22

Observation: We all make plans. Some are better than others and some people are better planners than others. Sometimes, however, things don’t always go as we expect them to go. The same happened to King David. He had intentions to build a temple for the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant, but God’s plan was different—his was for David’s son, Solomon, to build it.

Application: At the time that I got married, I was also starting a new business. It had been in the works for a long time, and to the best of my knowledge, the business plan was a good and godly one, and all the bases had been covered. But despite all that, it failed. There was no shame in that since businesses fail every day and everywhere, but the disappointment and concern about our financial situation was very real.

A plan that succeeds is very satisfying, but crazy thoughts start coming to our minds when God says “no” or “not yet.” But, when that happened to David, he didn’t question God’s plan, he accepted it without bitterness. The Bible says that David went to the Lord and praised him for the promise God had made him (1 Chronicles 17:16-27). He also worked hard to provide the materials and the people that Solomon would need so that he would succeed (1 Chronicles 22:14-15).

The instruction we have from God is that we are to “seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:32). At times when pursuing our dreams or trying to take care of our needs, we gravitate to the driver’s seat of life and try to make things happen our way. This, many times, will not only distance us from God, but potentially turn into worries, stress, depression, and the list goes on. As David relinquished his plans to God, God’s vision for the temple was honored. Similarly, once we relinquish ours to him, we are allowing God’s plan to flourish. 

After several years of working a few different jobs that I knew were not in God’s long-term plan for my life, I had another opportunity to have my own business. I got in contact with a longtime friend who was looking to expand his business, and we started working together. This time things turned out differently, and the business progressed and matured.

Never in my dreams could I have envisioned or planned for things to happen the way they did. Looking back, however, I see that God’s plan was way better than mine. When my friend shared the load that he had, not only was he blessed because his business expanded, but I saw the fulfillment of the plan God had put in my heart.

Prayer: Father, I thank you for who you are and for who we, as your children, are in Christ. I pray that you will help us to stay obedient to your Word and to have praise in our hearts as we wait for the fulfillment of your promises for our lives, to be intentional in using our talents and resources to bless others and to help them find their purpose in life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Next Steps:

• Read Day 20 
• Invest in your “slot and spot” to seek alignment of your plans with those of God’s for your life.
• Attend Plugged In and join a J-Group. You will see that it’s a great way to get closer to God and to make a difference in someone else’s life.

Acacio Pereira/Journey Kids Team Leader/Prayer J-Teamer

Acacio has attended The Journey for almost one year and is part of the JLI Evening Program. Acacio is married to his lovely wife Kim and has four wonderful children. He loves music, going to the beach, and connecting with people.