Then King David rose to his feet and said: “You, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve him with single mind and willing heart; for the Lord searches every mind, and understands every plan and thought ... Take heed now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary; be strong, and act.” –Chronicles 28

Israel’s King David dreamed of building a temple for God, but believed God did not want his blood-stained hands to do that (cf. 1 Chronicles 28:2-6). Instead, he gathered the materials and treasure needed for the task. Then he charged his son, Solomon, to be brave and build the awe-inspiring Jerusalem Temple. Notice that, even in an absolute monarchy, David sensed that building the Temple would take courage and determination.

• David’s charge to Solomon (“Be strong and courageous ... Don’t be afraid ordiscouraged”) had many parallels in Scripture (cf. Deuteronomy 31:7-8, Joshua 1:5-9, 1 Corinthians 16:13). Does doing what God calls you to do still require strength and courage, even in tolerant 2015 America? How can you stay open to the inner strength you need to respond to God’s call on your life?

• David also urged Solomon to “acknowledge your father’s God and serve him with enthusiastic devotion, because the Lord searches every mind and understands the motive behind every thought.” What does (or would) serving God with “enthusiastic devotion” look like in your day-to-day life? If God understands the motive behind every thought, what does that suggest about the value of learning to understand your own motives as clearly as possible?