Endure! Your children will reap the benefit! | 1 Chronicles 22:8-9

I’m in 1 Chronicles, and I was so encouraged by how God blessed King David’s son, Solomon, following King David’s obedient endurance. I have to share!

For background, God ordained for Solomon to build the house of the Lord, although David really wanted to build it because he loved God so much and wanted to honor him to the highest degree. Thus far, the ark of the Lord’s covenant was stationed in tents, but David believed that God deserved the best, so he wanted to build a lavish house of the Lord. God didn’t allow King David to build it because he “shed much blood,” so he commissioned Solomon the build it.

Although God protected David from his enemies, David had a pretty rough kingship. He often feared for his life, faced war after war, had to camp out in the wilderness to hide from his enemies, his family was kidnapped, and a host of other struggles. So while David was anointed and protected, his 40-year reign was rough for many years.

But I was so encouraged when I read in 1 Chronicles 22:8-9, in which God says to David,

“you have shed much blood and waged great wars. You are not to build a house for my name because you have shed so much blood on the ground before me. But a son will be born to you; he will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all of his surrounding enemies, for his name will be Solomon, and I will give him peace and quiet to Israel during his reign.”

Praise God! The revelation is that although we may be struggling through this life, having to endure storms, challenges, problems, hate, strife, and so much more, our obedience and love for God will lead to rest, peace, and quiet for our children! We endure for them! What we do in our lives, how we honor God, and how we respond to warfare matters! It may feel like your sacrifice and loyalty to God isn’t producing the fruit that you desire, but we do not focus on what is seen, we focus on the unseen. We may not be able to see right now the fruits of our labor in Christ, but our children will see it.

I don’t know about you, but I would do anything the Lord prompts me to do or be so that my child would have rest, peace, and quiet. I would rather be the sacrifice than him (my son)!

So remember this when you face troubles, struggles, enemies, strife, and whatever else the world throws at you. Do whatever it takes to be obedient to God and to honor him. Endure while keeping a clean heart for God. Your children will reap the benefit. Praise God! I’m encouraged!