1 Chronicles 28:20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.

The Biblical record indicates that Solomon didn’t begin to stray from the Lord until after the temple was completed. The potential was certainly there, because he started accumulating wives early on, but as long as his focus was on doing the work God had assigned him, he stayed on track. Actually, his father David had a similar experience, because his great failure didn’t come until he had succeeded to the point of being able to assign most of his duties to others. This tendency is the origin of the English/American proverb “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” When our focus is on doing work we know God wants us to do, we are unlikely to wander. Modern society seems focused on creating more and more leisure time, and for those on welfare, that approaches 100%. It doesn’t take much insight to see how that has worked out! Real satisfaction and fulfillment come from accepting a challenge from God that is big enough to require His help, and then seeing it through to completion. That indeed requires strength and courage, as David said to Solomon. However, failing to accept the challenges/commissions God gives us leaves us rootless and dissatisfied, prey to a multitude of temptations from the devil.

My own challenge, of reaching Omura to the point that it is restored to being the foremost Christian city in the nation, is obviously too big for anyone to accomplish apart from God. However, the very size of it has made it less than easy to maintain my focus. I can’t accomplish it on my own, but I need to be more active in seeking how God wants to use me in the process. Focus has been a problem for me most of my life. Part of that comes from the breadth of abilities the Lord has given me, but blaming that is a cop-out. The big issue is one of laying hold of the vision God has given and applying myself fully to see that fulfilled. Failing to do that, I fail to keep myself available for all that God wants to do through me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the things that are happening in this church, from receiving legal authorization and registration to the spiritual growth of the believers. Help me gain momentum, rather than slacking off, as we reach milestones along the way that You have laid out for us. May I be strong and courageous indeed, not considering the distraction the devil throws at me but pressing forward to the goals that You set before us, so that Your Name may be hallowed and Your kingdom come as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!