Day #116 | "Building on a Legacy"

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read 1 Kings 1 and 1 Chronicles 22-23

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Passing on a Great Task (1 Chronicles 22:1-6). In our reading for today, David is old and he's preparing for the end of his life. But he has a great big task that God has given him to prepare the next generation for. That task, in verse 5, is to build a magnificent house for the LORD, to spread God's "fame and glory throughout all lands."

Providing the Necessary Authority (1 Chronicles 22:7-11). Now that David has given a great task to the next generation, Solomon requires the authority to carry it out. David names two sources of authority given to the next generation: one is that David passes on his own authority, and the other is that the authority to carry out the task comes from God himself.

Providing the Necessary Resources (1 Chronicles 22:12-19). As we raise younger generations up, give them the task of glorifying God in their own time, and as we hand them the authority to make the necessary calls as they move forward, we also need to hand on the resources necessary to complete the work. Silents (oldest: 96 years), Boomers (oldest: 78 years), Gen X (oldest: 60 years); Millennials (oldest: 44 years), Gen Z/Zoomers (oldest: 27 years), and Generation Alpha (oldest: 12 years) need to funnel resources down the chain in order to see new churches planted, old ones revived, structures put into place for outreach, contemporary voices lifted up, and for the Gospel to be communicated in ways that are understandable and touch on concerns of each upcoming generation. It's tempting to think of my own generation, the Millennials, as still needing to be resourced by older generations to do fruitful Gospel work--but the reality is, my generation is old enough now that if we haven't done anything yet, we may have to think about sacrificially forfeiting "our turn" at bat and get to work getting behind the almost-30 Gen Z's and start thinking about how we are going to work with the Alphas who will be voting age not too long from now.

Providing a Well-Mapped Out Plan (1 Chronicles 28:11). This step skips beyond our assigned reading for the day, but we see in 1 Chronicles 28:11 that David also passes on a plan for how to use the resources--a blueprint. The blueprint that we give to the next generations is the fruit of our experiences, the necessary knowledge of how systems work, networks of relationships and resource sharing which can be utilized, built up learning related to various fields of knowledge, etc. It consists of things that we can tell the next generation to look out for, based on past experiences. It involves handing down the history of our institutions so that we can make younger generations aware of why they were built, what they are for, and what purpose they might continue to serve in the future.

Commissioning the Next Generations to Go Ahead (1 Chronicles 28:20). When we have passed on a great task to the next generations, given the necessary authority to carry out the work, provided them with the necessary resources, and shared a well-mapped out plan that they can build on or adapt, it remains for us to finally commission them to move ahead. To tell them "I've given you everything I know how to give you, the rest is up to you." I have been very privileged to have a few people who have been willing to do this for me. But when I look at the next two generations, the Z's and the Alphas, not too far behind, it makes me realize: I actually need to start getting behind the next generations myself.

DO | HOW DO WE RESPOND?

How can we respond in our worship, attitude, and actions? IN OUR ACTIONS we can think, using the categories above, of how we can equip upcoming generations. If we want those under 30 to encounter the Gospel and to do well, they will need our help. IN OUR ATTITUDES we can embrace a more sacrificial, humble posture as we focus more on handing off authority, resources, and positions and focus on the issues relevant to younger people--even though, as a Millennial, it feels galling to realize that I am not "younger people" anymore (a younger Millennial who gets pregnant today, at 35, would be defined medically as a "geriatric" pregnancy--geriatric!). IN OUR WORSHIP as we do this we are confronted with a really practical example of whether we will lift God up or lift ourselves up. Sacrificial worship means being willing to hand things off, to care more about others, to care mostly about God being glorified in each generation rather than holding the keys of influence. Am I willing to do this? I had better, or the next generation will be even less aware of God than mine is.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US TO GOD?

Whether in response to anything pointed out here, or to something else in your Bible reading time, take a few moments before you close up your Bible to pray in response to God. If you need a format for prayer, both the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication), CALL (Confess, Ask, Love, Listen), and PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) methods are helpful ways to stay consistent.

-Sean