David prays for his son.
Notes
Transcript
This is just a portion of a longer prayer that David prayed before the people of Israel.
This is just a portion of a longer prayer that David prayed before the people of Israel.
As David prays, we see a man that is wholly convinced of God’s authority and might.
This confidence comes as a result of a life spent proving God.
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11 Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. 13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. 14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. 15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. 16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.
David knows that God is the source of any good thing in his life.
He knows that God has the ability to perform beyond human capabilities.
As he nears the end of his prayer, David focuses on his son’s future and God’s role in it.
As he nears the end of his prayer, David focuses on his son’s future and God’s role in it.
David knew that his success in raising Solomon to be a follower of God depended on three parties cooperating in grace.
The first person that we see is David, he’s the one offering the prayer.
David brings his son before the Lord for many reasons.
Every good gift is from the Lord, including a godly son.
God can do what humans cannot, whether that’s in reference to a dreaded disease, a tempestuous sea, or the heart of a child.
David is an imperfect father, with many shortcomings.
David knows he needs help, and God is the one person capable of helping him.
So, David goes to God in prayer.
He is requesting God’s help in the difficult task of raising a child.
The second person, the central person, that we see who must cooperate in grace for Solomon’s sake, is God.
David specifically asks that God would give his son a perfect heart.
A perfect heart is one that is whole, complete, without blemish toward God.
This is the perfect request for a father that desires for his child to follow God.
“Give them a perfect heart.”
A corrupt heart would be one that is fractured between allegiances.
I don’t know about you, but it’s not in my ability to change someone’s heart.
That is a God-thing.
David is praying for God to do what only he can do.
That is to give Solomon a new heart.
Humans can guard their hearts.
Only God can create new hearts.
David knows that Solomon will need a heart that is inclined to the Lord if he is going to follow God.
David can’t give him that.
God can.
The third person that has a responsibility to cooperate with grace is Solomon.
Solomon has a leg up on life.
He has a father that prays for him.
He has a God that wants to give him a new heart.
These are wonderful advantages but it will still be up to Solomon to walk with God.
The commandments, statutes, and testimonies of God have been given to all men. (laws, procedures, and examples)
The evidence for God and His expectations of humanity are available to anyone interested in receiving them.H
Each individual must decide whether they will follow them or not.
That includes Solomon.
David was a man after God’s own heart, but that didn’t mean that Solomon would be.
He could choose to frustrate his father’s prayers.
He could choose to refuse God’s work in his heart.
But, then, Solomon would be responsible for the benefits he had turned his back on.
One of the tests of Solomon’s direction in life would be his investment in the house of God.
David had gathered many of the needed supplies.
God had told David that Solomon would build the temple.
David would be dead long before Solomon began construction on the Temple.
Solomon would have to choose for himself whether to carry on with the work his father started.
This, of course, he did.
Solomon responded favorably to the work God performed in his heart in response to the prayers of his father.
As Christian parents, we should follow David’s example in praying for our children.
As Christian parents, we should follow David’s example in praying for our children.
Raising a child that loves and follows God requires the participation of three key parties.
Parents
God
Child
As parents, we need to come to terms with our own limitations in raising our children.
You cannot be or do everything that they need you to be and do.
Whether your family is nuclear, blended, or single-parent, you need help from an outside source.
Most people are willing to admit that.
They look to the school to fill that gap.
They look to coaches to fill that gap.
They look to the church to fill that gap.
While you may get help from those sources, the main source of help that we need to turn to as parents, is God.
God has exactly what you and your kids need.
When you have the same perspective that David had in verses 11-16, you will have the confidence needed to cast your parental cares on him too.
Everything good that we have is from God.
He has all the power and authority.
If anyone is going to do the work in our kids’ hearts, it will be him.
We could do everything humanly possible to lead our kids to Jesus, but if He never gets their hearts, it won’t be enough.
Raising godly kids requires the grace of God.
We access that grace by being humble and praying.
Finally, it is the responsibility of our children to respond to God.
We can pray, God will hear our prayers, but they must allow God in.
It is every individual’s responsibility to choose whether they will serve God or not.
Your kids are no different.
We can and should make the path to follow God as attractive and convenient as possible (David preparing for Temple).
In the end, it is their choice.