A Prayer of Gratitude (1 Chronicles 29:10-19)

Bible Passages on Succession: Post 5 of 9

1 Chronicles 29:10-19

So David blessed Yahweh in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, “Blessed are You, O Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O Yahweh, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; 

Yours is the kingdom, O Yahweh, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. So now, our God, we are thanking You and praising Your glorious name.

“But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as willingly as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. For we are sojourners before You, and foreign residents, like all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. O Yahweh our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours. And I know, O my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness. I, in the uprightness of my heart, have willingly offered all these things. So now with gladness I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You. O Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intentions of the heart of Your people, and prepare their heart to You; and give to my son Solomon a whole heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies and Your statutes, and to do them all, and to build the temple, for which I have made preparation.”

Summary: Unlike Hezekiah, David's passion for the Lord burned bright to the very end. It is not the words of this prayer that make it unique. It is not so different from many other prayers of gratitude and reverence we find throughout scripture. What makes this prayer special is when David offered it. Indeed, prayers offered at the end of one's life carry a sacred weight. 

Key Insight: Being mindful of God's faithfulness in your past inspires confidence and courage to follow Him into our future.

Questions for Personal Reflection:

• What am I most grateful for?
• Does the Lord's greatness, power, glory, majesty,  and splendor still capture my heart, or have I become too familiar with His presence in my life?

Questions for Boards/Ministry Teams to Discuss:

• What is the overarching, shared vision you are pursuing together?
• In what ways are you experiencing and celebrating God's provision to see it through?