David’s advice to his son Solomon when building God’s sanctuary consisted of three commands: 1) Acknowledge (know) God, 2) Serve God, and 3) Seek God. This is good advice each of us should follow when God assigns us to “build” our “sanctuary temple.”
The Hebrew word for “acknowledge” (NIV) is “Yada.” It means “learn to know, perceive, recognize, consider and confess.” We obey these commandments through the means of communication. If we want to “know” God, we need to spend time listening to the Father’s heart. Do you make time each day for Him? Do you go to your “prayer roof,” a place where you can get alone with Him? Do you also spend time talking to Him? Do you confess your sins to Him? We learn to recognize the voice of the Shepherd by mediating on His Word and talking to Him via prayer.
One of the Hebrew translations of “serve” is “to make oneself available as a servant.” Paul called himself a servant of Christ Jesus (Romans 1:1) and a servant of God (Titus 1:1). Peter says we are to “live as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16). Our attitude as a servant should be one of complete devotion and a willing mind. The Hebrew thought is to have a desiring mind or one that delights and derives pleasure from the act of serving God. God does not want us to serve or give ourselves “under compulsion” or “reluctantly” but to give ourselves to Him delightfully or cheerfully (2 Cor 9:7). If we give half-heartedly we are not fooling God. God will see through our mask since He searches the heart and understands every motive behind our thoughts. Jesus also reminds us we can’t serve two masters or “either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matt 6:24). We are a slave to whatever masters us (2 Peter 2:19) whether we know it or not so let us be a slave to God. Let us serve Him with a joyful wholehearted devotion.
Finally, we need to seek God. The Hebrew meaning of this word is to seek with care, inquire or consult. When we seek God it is comforting to know He is not far from each of us (Acts 17:27b) and when we seek Him “with care” or “earnestly” seek, He will reward our efforts by revealing Himself to us. Remember God never forsakes those who seek Him (Psalm 9:10) and those who seek the Lord lack no good thing (Psalm 34:10). God also desires our attention and our love. So much that He looks down from heaven to see if there are any who seek Him (Psalm 53:2).
Each of us has a mission, a plan (to build His sanctuary) specifically designed by God based on our talents, abilities and gifts He has equipped us with so we can carry out His Kingdom here on earth. As David charged Solomon before he set out to build the sanctuary temple, we should take heed to also obey these commands so we can “be strong and do the work” (1 Chronicles 28:10) when we start building ours.
