Today's Scripture Reading (November 17, 2025): 1 Chronicles 28
We were going to build a new
church. We already had a piece of land for the new building. The existing
church was beginning to show its age, parking had become a problem, and, to be
blunt, past property decisions were starting to come back to haunt us. So,
plans were made and a new church was in the dreaming process.
The problem with new churches
and old churches is a question of economics. It is often more cost-effective to
relocate a church to the outskirts of the city than to make the necessary changes
within the city. That was also part of the scenario that led to the decision to
build a new church. It was simply cheaper to move the church to the edge of the
city than to try to buy property and rebuild where we were. So, we began to
raise funds to feed the dream.
At one point in the process,
I remember going to my boss with a question. Where do you think God wants this
church to be? The answer I received was that my boss didn't believe that God
had an opinion. It took the pressure off the possible move, but it was an
answer with which I struggled. After all, building the new church meant that we
were going to be moving a city church, that existed between the city center
neighborhoods and the suburbs, and follow the trail of many other city churches
to the edge of the city.
We didn't end up building a
new church; instead, we decided to keep the church where it was. Soon after the
failed move bid, my boss decided to move on. When asked if the two incidents
were in any way related, the public answer was always no, but I was never convinced.
I mean, there would have been no way the lead pastor would have left a church that
was in the process of building a new church, but that is really just my
opinion.
David wanted to build a
Temple. But he also wanted to move it. The Tabernacle was not in Jerusalem, and
that is where David wanted to build the Temple. So, it was a move and a build.
But, in this case, God did have a preference. And David understood that while
he dreamed of the new Temple, he would not be the one to build it. That would
be the privilege of his son.
I don't think David ever
understood what was on God's mind. I am convinced that it wasn't David's son,
Solomon, who was supposed to build the Temple. It was Jesus. And it was not a
move from Gibeon to Jerusalem that God had planned, but a move from Gibeon to
the hearts of the people that was required.
David misunderstood, but we
can know that God's Temple is built inside of all of us, his church. And God
does care where that church is located; it is situated in the midst of all the
people because that is where God is sending us.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading:
1 Chronicles 29
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