Then King David said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God. With all my resources I have provided for the Temple of my God (1 Chronicles 29:1,2).

In my twenties I traveled with a small music group, representing the ministry I served. I sang, strummed my guitar, gave my testimony, and schmoozed with church people from sea to shining sea. But the one thing I never did was “give the offering shpiel.” No matter how much I believed in our work or appreciated the generosity of our supporters, for me it was a hard “no.”

King David had no such issue. 

Comparing his own posh palace with the high-mileage portable tent that housed the presence of God, the heart of this poet-musician-warrior-king longed to build a temple for the Almighty.

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple (Psalm 27:4).

But God told David it was a hard “no.”

A man of war, the king had shed too much blood, making him the wrong person for the job. Building God’s temple required an extended reign of peace. And that era of shalom became God’s promise, delivered through David’s son Solomon—Shlomo (שְׁלֹמֹה), aka: “his peace.”

But though David would never witness the laying of the cornerstone, he became the temple’s greatest cheerleader! Not afraid to “give the offering shpiel,” he spends the rest of his life sharing his vision. 

DAVID’S 5-POINT “OFFERING SHPIEL”

1. David reminds the people that young, inexperienced Solomon will require the community’s unwavering support (v1).
2. David pre-empts any future concerns that the temple might be misconstrued as a “vanity project,” saying, “this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God” (v1).

3. David knows that giving begins with him. He contributes gold, silver, bronze, and iron, in addition to drawing up plans, hiring workers, and procuring materials (v 3, 4).

4. David understands that both giver and gift must be holy. Addressing the elders, he asks, “Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?” Moved by this challenge, they “gave willingly” (v.5, 6).

5. David knows he cannot out-give, out-dream, or out-create the Creator of the universe. So he leads the community in prayer: “Lord…everything in heaven and earth is yours” (v  11).

Through years of effort and through eyes of faith, David overcomes the disappointment of knowing he will not be around when the glory of the Lord fills the temple.

As we look toward the day when our CCC vision will be realized, we’re also aware that some of us might not be around to see it. (Hope that’s not too maudlin!) 

But, like David, we can cheerlead, praying for God to MULTIPLY WORSHIP in Chatham County…

—offering unwavering support,

—standing behind the vision,

—remembering that the project belongs to the Lord, 

—participating however we can, and

—consecrating ourselves to God, for everything in heaven and earth belongs to him!

Abba, please receive this, my first-ever “offering shpiel.” Amen.