In your journey following Jesus, I’m sure you’ve felt like Solomon as he set out to build the magnificent Temple, a place of worship for God. If you haven’t, you soon will.
How did he feel?
He felt overwhelmed with the magnitude of the work. He felt that no matter how good, grand, and glorious the building would be, it was so small and incomparable to the glory and majesty of God. He felt that even though it couldn’t be all that God deserved, he would do his best and build what he could, dedicating it to God, inspiring the nation!
“This must be a magnificent Temple because our God is greater than all other gods. But who can really build him a worthy home? Not even the highest heavens can contain him! So who am I to consider building a Temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices to him? (2 Chronicles 2:5-6 NLT)
It’s good that Solomon obeyed and finished the project. He left for us a great example to follow.
When faced with monumental comparisons, I have seen so many give up, throw in the towel, and walk away discouraged. They are overwhelmed by the distance between what God deserves and what our best actually looks like. The thought is usually something like, “I can’t do it as good as he could. OR I’m not nearly as talented as she is. OR God deserves so much more than I can ever do.”
Comparisons can be very dangerous because we can choose who we compare ourselves to. You’ll notice that Solomon didn’t compare his building skills to the other nations surrounding him, but instead saw his task in light of the glory of God. Although he could never build something worthy of God, that didn’t discourage him. Instead He was encouraged to do his best, with what he had, to the glory of God.
Decide today to do your best, with what you have, to the glory of God. He is well pleased with you, and your faithfulness to worship Him!
It was D.L. Moody that once said, “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And that which I can do, by the grace of God, I will do.”
Oh my stars!! This was meant for me. It probably was meant for more people than me, but I was actually going to quit singing in helping to lead the congregation in worshipping God because I felt like I couldn’t sing as well as someone else. I am constantly comparing myself to others and feel like I come up on the short end of the stick. This is a sin that I constantly battle, and have been for years. It causes me not to want to talk to others because I don’t feel like I am smart enough to join in on a conversation; when I sing I don’t sing loud for fear people might hear me; I don’t go to peoples homes because I constantly compare myself to how others dress and act and again I come up on the short end of the stick. Now, with God’s help I am going to remember the whole article and remember Deuteronomy 31:6 “…. I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Thank you so much for sending this out because I believe God used it to speak to me. (Please excuse the grammar and mistakes in the above response to Ed Taylor’s article).