UV 2142/10000 The Alpha of True Riches, Power and Fame
Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
I Chronicles 29 v 12
David at the end of his reign, before he handed over the kingdom to his son Solomon acknowledged the real ruler is God Himself and that he like all of us are mere shadows representing Him on earth. David acknowledged the ownership of the Lord of all things in heaven and on earth. He acknowledged the sovereignty of God. He also acknowledged that all strength and power belong to Him. Worship is acknowledging what belongs to God. It is acknowledging and bowing before Him in all aspects of our lives. The Lord is the source of all riches and honour and greatness and strength. True success comes from the hand of the Lord. We need to know like David that everything that we offer to the Lord actually belongs to Him.
Like a man’s shadow follows him everywhere and remains in the background, giving prominence to the man himself, so also we should follow Jesus in all that we do. He is the real king of hearts and rules over our minds and our bodies as well. David proved that he is a man after God’s heart by opening all that was in his heart to God before all his people. He was not ashamed to acknowledge that the source of his exaltation from shepherd to king off Israel was God, the source of all his riches, fame, power and honour came from the hand of the Lord. David in the course of his lifetime had tasted the greatness and power of the Lord to exalt and to humble, to reward and to chastise, to bless and to deliver. God manifests His strength on behalf of those whose hearts are perfect towards Him. Hence, the Lord enabled David to defeat his many foes throughout his life.
The riches the Lord blesses His children are durable riches, everlasting or eternal riches and not the riches that moth and rust can destroy or what thief can steal or what time can erode. Likewise, the fame is not the fickle popularity of this world but the greatness of the Lord that lifts us from the dung hill of mediocrity and ordinariness. The Lord strengthen us with His might and resurrection power by means of His Holy Spirit. The power of the Lord is so great that His shadow or presence has more power than the sceptres of the mightiest of history or any of their weapons. We just need to be famous with the Lord by always walking close to Him, walking in His paths described in the Word, walking in His favour. As somebody said, “One day of favour of God is worth more than a lifetime of labour.” It does not however mean that we do not have to set goals, make plans and work hard to plan. It does not mean that we do not use our own intellects and talents. But at the start and end and during any work we do, we acknowledge the amazing provision, guidance and ownership of the Lord. He determines which seed we planted would yield how much fruit. The Lord will then enables us not only to taste true and holistic success but to enjoy the fruits of our labour, the recompense of our work. To Him(praise, thanksgiving), through Him(His enablement) and for Him( for eternal purposes, kingdom).
1 Chronicles 29:12 is an apt title for this beautiful message about power, riches and other attributes that come from the Lord Jesus the alpha omega of this Universe.
ReplyDeleteDavid as pointed out by you acknowledged the sovereignty of the Lord in all things in heaven and on earth.The power and might which David had is all because of the Lord who elevated him from a shepherd to a mighty king. David's life and service to God is ennobling and didactic.
The analogy of a man's shadow following him is pertinent and telling, it is the man who is prominent not the shadow. You have rightly averred implicitly that we(humans) are shadows and like the man Jesus is our overlord.In this context David's life is a brilliant illustration of what we should do to our Lord Jesus for all fame,honour,riches and power come from Him.The riches that come from the Lord are eternal and everlasting unlike that the riches that come from this materialistic world. We need to be 'famous' with the Lord by walking close to Him,walking in His path' very different from worldly fame,fickle and ephemeral.
You have said and rightly so, that we can use our intellect and talents and set goals and plans implying that we should remember these stem from the Lord's power,guidance and grace to man.The seed we plant and the fruit that it yields is because of divine provision.
The concluding words are edifying to say the least.This message is a pointed reference to all those disregard God's Ways to Man as echoed by John Milton.All worldy pursuits and success are vain and as Thomas Gray reminds us"The paths of Glory lead but to the grave." I salute and thank you for what you have said .