Coffee With The Lord

Once again in my Bible reading during “coffee with the Lord” I was deeply impressed by the quality of King David’s leadership. There are good reasons that every king in ancient Judah and Israel was measured against his leadership. King David was the prototypical national leader! More than that, he presents an exemplary pattern for all kinds of leaders today! I only wish more leaders exhibited the qualities of leadership King David demonstrated!
Don’t get me wrong… David wasn’t perfect – in fact, he was a flawed person. His terrible sin in plotting the killing of Uriah and his moral failure with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife, led to terrible consequences. But David, when confronted with his sin, confessed it and the record of his sincere repentance is documented in Psalm 51.
But what impressed me so much this morning was the leadership David exhibited in 1 Chronicles 28 & 29… Believe me, a worthy read!
In this passage David humbly expresses gratitude for God choosing him as a leader but also accepts the limitations that God has placed on his leadership. David readily accepts the reality that God desires for him to pass the baton of leadership on to his son, Solomon, and seeks to prepare him and the people for the transition of leadership.
Although one of David’s life-goals had been to “build a house for the Lord,” it is clear his vision will be fulfilled by another, and David accepts that reality. In fact he tells Solomon, “Be careful now, for the Lord has you chosen you to build a house the sanctuary; be strong and do it!”
Then David pulled out the rolls of detailed blueprints for the temple and said, “All this God made clear to me in writing from the hand of the Lord, all the work to be done according to the plan.” Then he urged Solomon, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you! He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished!”
Finally the exemplary leadership of David is exhibited in the provisions he made for the fulfilling of this God-given vision! This is how the Bible describes it… “And David the king said to all the assembly, ‘Solomon my son, whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for the palace will not be for man but for the Lord God! So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able… In addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I now give it…’
Then David challenged the people to follow his example in giving: He asked, “Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself today to the Lord? Then the leaders of fathers’ houses made their freewill offerings, as did also the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of thousands and of hundred, and the officers over the king’s work… Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly!”
(From 1 Chronicles 28:1 – 29:9)
My prayer this morning… Oh, God give us more leaders like this – leaders who exhibit this kind of quality! And Lord, help me to be a leader who exhibits the kind of exemplary leadership David displayed!