February 26

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. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.  1 Chronicles 28:9

In the first 8 verses of this chapter, King David tells the people that he had planned to build the temple.  However, God said he would not be the one to build the temple.  Rather, it would be his son, Solomon, who would build the temple.  David, near the end of his life, shares a deeply personal moment with Solomon in verse 9.  It is as though David is handing off the “spiritual torch” to his son.  David gives these words to Solomon as a blueprint for leadership and a summary of where his heart should be.  

David instructs Solomon to acknowledge the God of his father.  Acknowledgment goes beyond just knowing God.  It goes deeper than having some understanding of who God is.  Acknowledgment is an intimate and experiential relationship with God.  David says Solomon needs to do more than just learn about God - he needs to know God.  He needs to have a deep and personal relationship with the God of his father.  David continues by telling Solomon to serve God wholeheartedly and with a willing mind.  God does not want Solomon’s - or our - half-hearted commitment to Him.  God wants more than for us to be a “part-time” follower of Him.  God wants our undivided loyalty.  He wants our full devotion and commitment to Him.  God searches every heart, every desire, and every thought.  He knows where our hearts are and our level of commitment toward Him.  Are you serving Him wholeheartedly?  Am I serving Him wholeheartedly?  What is standing in the way?

David concludes this verse with an “if/then” statement.  If Solomon seeks God (with his whole heart), he will find God.  This same statement is for us today.  No matter where we’ve been, what we’ve done, our faltering level of commitment to God, our desires, our thoughts, or heart condition, if we seek God, we will find Him.  Our past failings and wavering commitment to Him does not keep us from finding Him if we seek Him.  God desires a relationship with us.  We will find Him if we seek Him with all our hearts.  We all chase after and seek things.  What are you chasing?  What are you seeking?  What am I seeking and chasing?  What is standing in my way of full and wholehearted devotion to God?

Father - You are not elusive.  You are not a “hard-to-find” Father.  You love us, and You desire our wholehearted devotion to You.  Help us to surrender what is standing in the way of seeking You.  Take it and replace it with a daily commitment to seek and serve You.  You are so good to us.  Thank You for loving us and for sending Your Son.  In Your name we pray.  Ame