At our Bible study last night, we looked at 1 Chronicles 22 which deals with David’s preparations for the construction of the temple, something he was not allowed to build but for which he prepared extensively so that his son, Solomon, could complete this task with the help of other leaders and the support of the people.
The chapter reminds us of the importance of legacy (what we pass on to the next generation) and commission (since God HImself was the one who commissioned Solomon to this task), but as someone who spends the majority of her life preparing for events, there was a deep resonance for me in the idea of ‘extensive preparations’ and the need for perseverance in our work.
Preparation is a vital key to success in any sphere, but often it looks (and is) boring and unglamorous. Getting all the materials together to build a temple (including the iron for all the nails for the gateways!) and recruiting all the skilled craftsmen who were going to work on the temple was not something done in a day! I’m in the middle of costing a funding application, and there’s no substitute for the painstaking work of seeking costings and quotes, checking availability and dates. The projects I long to see happen need me to do these vital but very humdrum tasks.
We all know the importance of preparation and practice, but so often we balk at what this entails. Today a group of volunteers will be at church cleaning, fixing and sorting toys for the new academic year. There’s nothing exciting about cleaning carpets or washing toys down… but we need to do this. We seek shortcuts so often in life, but there is no substitute for our hard work and perseverance.
When my son started piano lessons at the age of five, I thought I was going to discover the key to flawless performance. He has perfect pitch; surely that was the key? I did indeed find the key.. but it wasn’t what I expected. Despite his God-given natural talent, he had to learn through patient practice – training through playing scales and finger exercises which allowed his fingers to learn to work independently and flexibly, training through the dissection of musical pieces, little by little, until they could be speeded up and put back together. This is a parable of life. There are no shortcuts to success. Every time we watch or listen to a performance, every time we attend a successful event, we see the tip of the iceberg, but what goes on underneath the visible sea level is the foundation of the success. Nikki buying potatoes, making coleslaw, grating cheese, opening tins of beans, sorting bowls and cutlery… so we could enjoy a family fun day lunch this week. Julie sourcing funding so we could have crafts to do and ice-creams to eat. Actors learning lines and rehearsing together; costumes made and props prepared so we can enjoy a show. Preparation is essential. When 4FrontTheatre are with us, we see a one-hour performance that sparkles and glistens. It’s prefaced by an hour of setting up the set and an hour taking it down, and by hours and hours of rehearsal and manufacture of props beforehand. Most of us never see that behind-the-scenes work.
To persevere in our everyday tasks requires endurance and encouragement. Without endurance, we will simply stop before we achieve our dream. Without encouragement, we’ll give up, because it’s jolly hard work to achieve anything worthwhile at all (not just a grand temple fit for God’s glory!) The good news is that God gives both endurance and encouragement. Read Romans 15 to have your endurance, encouragement, strength and hope renewed… and then, as David told Solomon, begin the work ‘and may the Lord be with you.’ (1 Chron 22:16)
