I Chronicles 29:16 O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own
What one word comes to your mind when you think about the work of David? I’m thinking specifically of the work he did regarding the temple that Solomon would complete. I Chronicles 28:14 says that David “gave of gold by weight for things of gold…silver also…” and it goes on to talk about all the elaborate, costly things David gave for the preparation of Solomon’s temple. In chapter 29 David says of himself in verse 3, “Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house.”
Now, what if we all did that, gave gold lavishly to the house of God, or in our time it would be to the work of God? Suppose we are all great givers at our church. What one word do you ascribe to that behavior? I think we would say generous. Are you a generous person? More importantly, what are the assumptions of that question? If someone is generous, what does that assume about that person? It assumes he owns something with which he is magnanimous or he is of a lofty and courageous spirit. We might well say that of David. He was lofty and courageous in spirit and gave generously.
Suppose I gave you a brand new, beautiful Bronco. Would you consider that generous? I think you probably would. But what if I gave you a Bronco that belonged to my neighbor? That is not generous. There might be another word for that, but it is not generosity. To be generous with what you do not own is something other than generosity. So, are you a generous person? I think it is important to know that dedication to God is more a matter of gratitude than of generosity because that presupposes that God owns everything and we receive whatever God gives. That means that what is important is honesty and willingness.
First Chronicles 28:3 tells us that God gave David guidance. In verse 4 it indicates that God gave David the kingdom. In verse 5 God gave David a son. In verses 12 and 19 God gave David a pattern. In other words, everything David gave to God was what God had already given to him. David himself said it best when he said, “All that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine.”
First Chronicles 29:13 says, “We thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.” God wasn’t thanking David; David was thanking God. Verse 14 says, “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.” Verse 16 says, “O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.”
In the following verses we find that they offered willingly. They offered willingly, not because they were generous, but because God was generous. They offered willingly, not because they were rich, but because God was rich. They offered willingly, not because of what they took, but because of what God gave. Whether it is life, money, talent, or time, dedication to God is never a matter of generosity. You can’t be generous with a God who owns everything. Dedication to God is a matter of gratitude. That puts a completely different complexion on the way we view what we give of our lives and selves to God or others.
This should lead you to do several things. First, steward your family with gratitude. David realized that Solomon was a gift from God. The reason Solomon was interested in building a temple is because his dad was. The reason Solomon was interested in wisdom is because that is what David prayed for Solomon. That was what David was interested in. In other words, David realized that Solomon was not his son; Solomon was God-given stewardship. So, your thoughts about your family should be, “This family is God’s. What does He want?”
Second, steward your plans with gratitude. Famously, David had a great ambition to build the temple, but God said that wasn’t for him to do but for Solomon to do. David submissively answered, “Ok, God, if you want Solomon to build the temple, I am going to do everything I can to help prepare Solomon for building.” Let God guide your ambition. Let God own your ministry and your service. Steward your plans with gratitude. That is what David did with the temple.
Lastly, steward your resources with gratitude. All the gold, silver, and other items that David gave to the work of the temple, God had given to him. Ultimately, you are all you have to give. Nothing else has a will or a mind but you. If God owns you, He is not going to have to quibble over your family, money, or ambitions. God doesn’t want yours; He wants you. God owns everything. He doesn’t need me, but He loves me.
Today, whatever it is that you steward, realize that dedication to God is not a matter of generosity but a matter of gratitude.