Have all your dreams come true? One Sunday, the sheer delight of serving as pastor overflowed my sermon: “I am living my dream.” The following Wednesday, as I walked through our food service line, I asked one of our men how he was doing. “I’m living my dream,” he quipped with a wry smile. It is good to do what you love to do.
David’s dream was to build a temple for God. The trouble was, he faced a lot of trouble. Running for his life from Saul and Absalom kept him from doing all he wanted to do. In addition, he found himself at war with the surrounding peoples as he tried to expand and establish the kingdom. Most importantly, God told him not to build the temple.
Solomon ended up fulfilling David’s dream of building the temple. Unlike his dad, he was not constantly at war. David saved up some materials for Solomon. One movie depicted the boy Solomon studying his father’s building plans with the smiling approval of David and Bathsheba.
Rest fuels creativity. When God gave Solomon rest with no adversary or disaster, Solomon began to build. Listen to his intentionality: “I intend therefore to build a temple.” See also his motives: “For the Name of the Lord my God.” Solomon could complete David’s dream because Solomon worshiped his father’s God.
Do not misunderstand the application: this is no call for parents to live vicariously through their children who fulfill their parents’ dreams. When we worship God with our whole hearts, our families and neighbors are watching. Not all will catch it. But some will. God will receive glory in ensuing generations when we impart the best of our love for God to our offspring and relatives.
Are you at rest today? How will you use the opportunity of this day to give God the greatest glory? It is not too early to start.
