“I know, my God, that You examine our hearts and rejoice when You find integrity there. You know I have done all of this with good motives, and I have watched their people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.” 1 Chronicles 29:17 (NLT)
This is part of David’s prayer after he gathered all the materials for building the temple, the place where God would dwell. No expense was spared. Everyone contributed generously. Gold and silver beyond belief and precious stones and other riches. The temple that Solomon ended up building with these materials was probably beyond most of our imaginations. They wanted it to be as magnificent as it could be because it was where God would live. And yet, David acknowledges that, even still, it is too insignificant: “who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to You? Everything we have has come from you, and we give You only what You have given us” (1 Chronicles 29:14). The most magnificent dwelling they could make for God paled in comparison to God’s own magnificence or to the things of God.
David wanted both God and the Israelites to know that his only rationale for building a magnificent temple was to bring glory to God. It was not that he wanted to impress the neighboring nations or lord it over his people or be the king with the most opulent kingdom. He hoped to build something that might be worthy to be God’s dwelling place on earth. And He knew that God knew his heart and his intentions. Yes, it wasn’t going to last forever … but it was to be God’s dwelling on earth. It needed, as best as possible, to reflect God’s glory.
And so are you. You are God’s temple — the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells within all who call Christ “Lord.” (See 1 Corinthians 6:19) What type of temple are you building for Him? What type of care are you giving His temple?
