1 Chronicles 28:9

New International Version (NIV)

“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.”

For Meditation

The Akans of Ghana have a saying that, “If you hear someone advising their child, it may benefit you to also closely pay heed.” I find it to be very true, especially if it is a godly counsel. For some of us who come from broken homes and lacked a father figure to point us in the right direction, this saying is excellent counsel. 

The absence of good parental counsel could be the result of various circumstances – divorce, death, alcoholism and drug abuse, shear neglect, unbelieving parents, and many others – but the result is the same. It takes God’s grace, which one may not recognize at that time, to be around friends and relatives who may be blessed with godly  and parental counsel. Those who have made the most of such opportunities have become well-grounded and successful in life, despite the obvious lack in their homes. This is why I take the charge David gave to Solomon very seriously, and commend it to every child of God, especially, the young ones. 

David was in the final season of his life and his young son, Solomon, had succeeded him as king of Israel. Solomon was inexperienced and needed all the support and counsel he could get. After reviewing the history of the temple project before the assembled officials of Israel, David turned to Solomon and gave him the charge of his life (1 Chron. 28:9-10). 

Two takeaways from David to his son Solomon:

First, to acknowledge God for who He is – my Father in heaven. Second, as a child of God, I must serve Him with sincere devotion and a willing mind, always remembering that God searches the heart and perceives its desires and motives. If I seek him, He will reveal Himself to me (1 Chronicles 28:9-10). 

So, I hear David charging me today to remember who I am in Christ (1 Pt. 2:9) and to take a strong and courageous stand in Him to build a vibrant life and character that will withstand the storms of this dying world.

It’s a noble charge that I accept and take seriously, and I urge you to come along with me on this journey to glory.

A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky. – John Wesley (1762)

Shalom