2nd Chronicles chapter 3. Wait on the Lord.
Solomon finally begins to build the temple during his fourth year as king. My first thought was, why did it take him so long to start. King David got things organized before he died for the building of the Temple. But then I remembered in the previous chapter how Solomon still had to gather all the timber and stones necessary. It must have taken a long time to get all the resources needed.
Perhaps we can learn something from this: when God calls us to do something it may not happen right away. Sometimes it's years later. God told King David a temple would be built but it was not King David who did it. In fact he never got to see it start.
I remember in Corry how different people prayed for The Corry middle high School. They wanted to see the kids ministered to. This went on for a few years.
1. It started with people praying.
2. Then there was see you at the pole each year with people praying together, students and adults. Some years there were around a hundred people.
3. Later it grew to students praying in the school. This went on for a few years.
4. Later it grew to outreach in the school.
5. Then it grew to a new ministry: called Student Impact. This is when students gathered together during their lunch and were able to be in a spiritual environment having fun, fellowship and doing outreach in the school impacting students and faculty.
Student impact was at least 10 years later since people were praying around the school.
Four additional thoughts:
1. Be praying people. Pray God will use you to reach the Lost.
2. Listen to the Lord's voice. God's always up to something. Make sure we are taking the time to hear his voice.
3. Persevere. If God put something on your heart then pray and move forward. Persevere it will take time.
4. Don't be discouraged. The praying and persevering you do may not result in fruit until long after you've moved on. God may call someone else to see the fruit. We need to be obedient with the task God has for us and trust him with the outcome.
While thinking about the preparations that had to be made for the building of the temple, I started thinking about Jesus preparing a place for us. David’s son would be the builder of the temple. God’s Son is the builder of our heavenly home as we see in John 14:2-3.
“In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.”