Shepherd To King-Day 20

17 Sep Shepherd To King-Day 20

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:23-25 -NLT- “So Solomon took the throne of the LORD in place of his father, David, and he succeeded in everything, and all Israel obeyed him. All the officials, the warriors, and the sons of King David pledged their loyalty to King Solomon. And the LORD exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel, and he gave Solomon greater royal splendor than any king in Israel before him.”

Observation: David named Solomon king, knowing he was God’s chosen one. Although King David thought his son was young and inexperienced compared to him, he still prepared him to be king. David’s faithfulness to God set Solomon up for success. 

Click here to dive deeper into this passage: 1 Chronicles 29; 1 Kings 1; 1 Kings 2

Application: As an eighteen-year-old, it is scary to think about leaving a legacy, especially when I think back on who I was a year ago. I was born into a dysfunctional family; my dad is an addict and left when I was young and my mom is a single mom who truly does everything she can. The trauma I had surrounding church was created by my father and prevented me from connecting with God until recently. As I began my journey with church, I had intrusive thoughts that caused me to ask myself, “Would that younger version of me be my legacy?” The short answer is, thankfully, no. Today, we see Solomon step into what his father had built for him, but maybe the legacy you have stepped into is less than great. One of addiction? Abuse? Dysfunction? It’s important to realize you can always change your legacy, and how you begin in life doesn’t have to be how you are remembered. 

If your legacy was based on who you are and what you do right now, would you be relieved or disappointed? Is it honoring God?  When I asked myself these questions a year ago I answered “No”. I felt like I had done nothing in my life that was worth remembering—like my life was disposable—that is, until I started rebuilding my relationship with God. If you also answered “No” to any of those questions, you may need to do some reevaluating like I did. Start by asking yourself, “What needs to change?” and  “Are there people I need to forgive?”

To begin, I had to put my trust fully in God and forgive the people in my life that hurt me. So, although this did not happen for me overnight, I did a few things to deepen my connection with God. I started gathering at The Journey, going to a students’ J-Group, and serving on the Journey Kids J-Team. I felt unqualified, but so many leaders poured into me and set me up for success. They gave me responsibilities and countless opportunities. They truly showed me that leaving a legacy is not about caring who gets the credit, instead, it’s about selflessly blessing others. We see this demonstrated by King David; he used his gifts to bless Solomon and set him up for success to build the temple for God. I imagine Solomon felt unqualified, just like I did. But now as I serve on Journey Kids as a Team Leader, I get to reciprocate what my leaders did for me. I get to help other J-Teamers begin building their legacy, all while teaching the youngest Journey Kids generation about God.

However, just as Solomon faced challenges from those who tried to steal his legacy, so will you. But when you are dedicated to making a difference, your faithfulness and commitment to honoring God blesses those around you and allows you to leave an imprint on their life. Leaving a legacy means you will have everlasting effects on all who know you or have known you.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you and ask you to open my heart and allow me to use my God-given gifts and fully submit to my callings. Help me eliminate my anxieties and fears about the legacy I’m going to leave. I fully submit my life to you. Allow me to use my blessings to bless those around me. Allow me to leave a legacy that satisfies and honors you, God. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Next Steps:

• Read Day 21 of this devotional
• Visit Plugged In if you are not yet serving
• Lead a J-Group this fall
• Request our prayer team to pray over you

Emma Swift / Journey Kids Team Leader

Emma Swift has been attending  The Journey for a little over one year. This summer, she completed the Journey Leadership Institute’s Summer Residency. Emma just recently relocated to South Carolina to go to college at Clemson University where she will be studying Psychology Pre-Med. Although she is not physically at The Journey, her legacy will last forever in Journey Kids.