110906 -1 Chronicles 25-29-all my virtue and strength comes from the LORD

S: Therefore David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: "Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.
"But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provision."
Then David said to all the assembly, "Bless the LORD your God." And all the assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and paid homage to the LORD and to the king. And they offered sacrifices to the LORD, and on the next day offered burnt offerings to the LORD, 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. And they ate and drank before the LORD on that day with great gladness.
And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and they anointed him as prince for the LORD, and Zadok as priest. (1 Chronicles 29:10-22)

O: Having overcome all the trouble he brought upon himself, near the end of his life, David turns around and attributes all his greatness and strength, all his abunance, to the LORD.

A: Like a child who gives a gift to a parent out of the abundance the parent has given the child, we have nothing God didn't give us. We should therefore give liberally and joyfully, use our creativity, and skill exuberantly, expend ourselves often in His praise.

P: I don't praise you enough, Lord - there's no way that I could - but Like David, I acknowledge that all that I am, all that I have, has come from you. You give wealth, energy, and creativity; you give influence, position and opportunity; you give talent, skill and experience. By these things, shape me, not just into an instrument of effective work, but into an instrument of melodious praise to my Maker, my King, my Redeemer, the LORD of Hosts.

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