DAY 5: All things come from God
Reading: 1 Chronicles 29:10-20
David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
“Praise be to you, Lord,
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.
“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”
Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God.” So they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the Lord and the king.
For Anglicans these are some of the most familiar verses in the Bible.
Many of us hear them Sunday by Sunday at the offertory during Holy
Communion. They are a powerful reminder to us that even when we
offer up the fruit of our hands, the provision is from God.
In an echo of Psalm 145 David praises God for who He is, recognising
that God’s kingdom (rule) was and is over all things. The almighty
God, who is all powerful, does give good gifts to us all. Can we, like
David, recognise this generosity in the things around us?
By acknowledging an awareness of God’s nature and purpose we too,
like David, will come to a fresh awareness of ourselves and our actions.
David set an example to all those around him by giving out of his personal wealth.
Having sufficient for today (as we saw yesterday) is what God
promises us. Perhaps an abundance of riches is a supreme test of the
uprightness of our hearts (v17). Would we really be able to cope?
For Further Reading: Psalm 104:1-26 - whole of creation is sustained by God.
To Ponder: When you hear these words on a Sunday, how does it affect
your attitude to money and possessions?
To Pray: Lord God, all things come from you and of your own do I give
you. Release in me that generosity of spirit that comes from
you. Amen.
‘for everything in heaven and earth is yours.’ v11
David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
“Praise be to you, Lord,
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.
“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”
Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God.” So they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the Lord and the king.
For Anglicans these are some of the most familiar verses in the Bible.
Many of us hear them Sunday by Sunday at the offertory during Holy
Communion. They are a powerful reminder to us that even when we
offer up the fruit of our hands, the provision is from God.
In an echo of Psalm 145 David praises God for who He is, recognising
that God’s kingdom (rule) was and is over all things. The almighty
God, who is all powerful, does give good gifts to us all. Can we, like
David, recognise this generosity in the things around us?
By acknowledging an awareness of God’s nature and purpose we too,
like David, will come to a fresh awareness of ourselves and our actions.
David set an example to all those around him by giving out of his personal wealth.
Having sufficient for today (as we saw yesterday) is what God
promises us. Perhaps an abundance of riches is a supreme test of the
uprightness of our hearts (v17). Would we really be able to cope?
For Further Reading: Psalm 104:1-26 - whole of creation is sustained by God.
To Ponder: When you hear these words on a Sunday, how does it affect
your attitude to money and possessions?
To Pray: Lord God, all things come from you and of your own do I give
you. Release in me that generosity of spirit that comes from
you. Amen.
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