1 Chronicles 28:20

I came across this verse a couple of weeks ago and I was struck by something it said. This is David speaking to Solomon as he gives Solomon the plans for building the temple. Solomon was chosen by God to build the temple and David was leaving all the plans and all the materials he had collected for that purpose in Solomon's care.

In 1 Chronicles 28:28, David says these words to Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He won't leave you or forsake you." (HCSB)

It was the second part of the phrase that jumped off the page at me when I read it. Not only was David telling his son not to be afraid, but he was calling him to do the work he needed to do. This was a call to do something.

I started to think about our lives in relation to this. God has called us all to live lives that are pleasing to Him and that means living different from the world around us. That takes courage and strength. Sometimes God calls us to something specific - maybe something we don't think we can do. To do what God calls us to takes courage and strength.

But, I think we can often get stuck with asking God for courage and strength to do something. We ask, but we don't go beyond that. We forget that the next step after we ask God for that is to actually do what He asked us to do. If we just ask for it and then never do it because we don't think we can, we're not really being strong and courageous. We're being fearful and timid. I don't like those descriptions of what we're doing, but it's the truth. If we're going to be strong and courageous, then we have to actually do it!

In your life, what is God asking you to do that requires you to be strong and courageous?
Have you asked God for courage and strength?
Now, for what I have to come to believe is the most important question in this: Have you done it? Have you stepped out and actually started doing the work?
Or are you still sitting there, waiting for you to feel like you have courage and strength?

If there's one thing I've learned recently, it's that sometimes to courage and strength to do something only comes when you take the first step of obedience to God and begin to do the work He's asked you to do. And once you take that first step, it's easier to keep going.

What are you waiting for? "Be strong and courageous, and do the work."