As anyone knows that any project from painting walls to cooking a huge meal, the preparation can take longer and be more work than the actual project itself.  Walls must be cleaned and most times repaired by filling holes and cracks. Sanding and cleaning again must follow before the paint is even applied!  AND, before you open that can of paint the right brushes and tools must be readied with coverings placed on the floor in case of spills—and spills will happen! This is the science—if you plan on a spill, spills won’t happen! (Or, maybe that’s just me!)  From experience of doing many DIY projects over the years; we learn that good prep work makes the task much easier to complete in the most excellent way!  

As we come close to Thanksgiving, we think of all the prep work that must be done. If you are the main cook for the family gathering for Thanksgiving; you know the extent of preparation that must be done days before the event!  We spend a couple of weeks ahead of TD to buy the groceries needed. We shop early to get the best deals from markets we trust.  We then store all these items so all does not spoil before use.  A timeline is formed of what to do when so it all comes together at the best time for all to enjoy. For example, I have learned over the years to bake the pies early to make room in the oven on the day of for the turkey, dressing, and casseroles. I learned from watching my mom and grandma who were gifted in the kitchen!

And who wouldn’t enjoy “SOUS CHEF” as your right hand!  What is this role?  A sous chef is second-in-command in a kitchen, directly reporting to the executive chef and managing daily kitchen operations, staff, and food production and preparation! The term is French, meaning “under chef,” and the role involves leading by example, solving problems, training junior staff, and ensuring food quality, making them a critical leader and backbone of the kitchen team. The souse chef job of prep is to cut up all the veggies, nuts, and berries ahead of time so putting it all together becomes an easier task on the day of roasting. My husband is my volunteer sous chef who is my veggie cut-up manager.  (Sometimes he just a “cut-up” in the kitchen!) 

Our adult children and even our adult grandchildren now bring in previous prepared items to add to our meal which takes some of the work from our shoulders.  It takes all of us working together to make the meal happen in an enjoyable way.  We appreciate each other’s contributions and love cooking together as we praise and thank God for all He has provided.

King David is commanded by God to be his son, Solomon’s “sous chef” for the building of the Temple! David desired to build with his plan for the Temple. But God…interrupted with new directions and His plan.  David, a man after God’s own heart; trusted and obeyed God.  The following passage tells of David’s prep work of excellence before the first stone for the Temple was put into place!  Notice that prayer is a major part of the prep work!  Read on…

1 Chronicles 22

Then David said, “The house of the Lord God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

Preparations for the Temple

² So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God. ³ He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. ⁴ He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.

⁵ David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death.

⁶ Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁷ David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God. ⁸ But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. ¹⁰ He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

¹¹ “Now, my son, the Lord be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the Lord your God, as he said you would. ¹² May the Lord give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. ¹³ Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

¹⁴ “I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the Lord a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them. ¹⁵ You have many workers: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as those skilled in every kind of work ¹⁶ in gold and silver, bronze and iron—craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you.”

¹⁷ Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. ¹⁸ He said to them, “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to the Lord and to his people. ¹⁹ Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the Lord.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

After David’s debacle of counting his warriors to impress people with his power (1 Chronicles 21); God humbled him by discipling David. David repented and is now restored and back to seeking the heart of God and His direction.  David has learned valuable lessons that he will pass on to his son, Solomon.

In service to God, everyone’s job is important. Each person’s part, when done with willing obedience honors God.  David began to enjoy doing the prep work for the Temple instead of being the builder.  Max Lucado gives us a perspective of David that is helpful to our understanding of this King whose will must be set aside for the Will of God.  He shares;

“David had wanted to build a temple. What he had done for Israel, he wanted to do for the ark—protect it. What he had done with Jerusalem, he wanted to do with the temple—establish it. And who better than he to do so? Hadn’t he, literally, written the book on worship? Didn’t he rescue the ark of the covenant? The temple would have been his swan song, his signature deed. David had expected to dedicate his final years to building a shrine to God.

At least, that had been his intention. “I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it” (1Chronicles 28:2).

Plans. Preparations. Architects chosen. Builders selected. Blueprints and plans, drawings and numbers. Temple columns sketched. Steps designed.

“I had it in my heart . . . I made plans.”

Intentions. Preparations. But no temple. Why? Did David grow discouraged? No. He stood willing. Were the people resistant? Hardly. They gave generously. Were the resources scarce? Far from it. David “provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed [and] more cedar logs than could be counted” (22:3–4). Then what happened?

A conjunction happened.

Conjunctions operate as the signal lights of sentences. Some, such as and, are green. Others, such as however, are yellow. A few are red. Sledgehammer red. They stop you. David got a red light.

David’s bloodthirsty temperament cost him the temple privilege. All he could do was say:

I intended . . .

I made plans . . .

But God . . .

What do you do with the “but God” moments in life? When God interrupts your good plans, how do you respond?—Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

Good questions, Mr. Lucado!  What do we do in those moments when God interrupts our plans? Play the blame game? Insist on moving ahead anyway? Or do we pause to talk it over with God?  (The last one is the right answer!)

Our lives would be more enjoyable if we paused more often to ask God what HE wants every day of our lives. Those holy interruptions are most often opportunities that are for our own good, our growth in faith, with a test of our willing obedience to God with reminders to give God all the glory and honor! 

Pauses in the work to pray are more important than the prep work and the work itself. These pauses reminds us that God is the chef and we are second as we listen to him for direction.  God provides all the resources we will need as He guides us to join Him in His work.  In fact, to reduce it down to a simmer, our main prep work is to pray first then allow room for God to complete His masterful work in us. We have no cause to boast when we walk humbly with our God—the Main Chef of Life!

We become too arrogant and full of pride when we think we are doing all the work, according to our plan, even if we add, “in Jesus Name.” 

I have been in difficult, sometimes torturous, church meetings where plans were laborious created over a great deal of passionate discussion with each other; then we prayed; “God bless our plans.” Yikes!  Nope, this is backwards!  We must seek God first asking for His plan!  David soon learned his lesson and accepted God’s will for his son, Solomon to build the Temple beyond his wildest dreams.  David didn’t sulk but stared the prep work for his son, knowing the prep work would lift the load and encourage Solomon for the work ahead!  King David become great, not as much for his conquests on the battlefield; but because of his faith, trust, and obedience to God. David wouldn’t want it any other way.

This is God. This is how He works in and through us to perfect our faith!  We are more important than the project.  People are always more important than the plan.

Pause to pray, asking God for wisdom and direction.  Then look for opportunities to lift the load off someone else’s shoulders. Most often, this will interrupt our planned day but these holy interruptions will probably help, encourage others in ways we cannot imagine.  God knows and sends His people who listen to help.  Be the one who is listening and willing to pause in holy moments where God intervenes.  God will provide where He guides.  God did it for David and He does it repeatedly for us!

Lord,

Thank you for these thoughts of wisdom from you! Thank you for teaching us how to humble walk in sync with you!  Continue to cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your new tender mercies, and restore the joy of your salvation at work within us as we trust in you with willingness to obey what you say!

In Jesus Name, for our good and Your glory, Amen