1 Chronicles 23:1-25:31
King David summoned all the leaders of Israel to Jerusalem for the
coronation ceremony of his son Solomon. He took this opportunity to count the
Levites, of which there were 38,000. Then David appointed 24,000 to supervise
the work of the new Temple (which had not been built yet); he appointed 6,000
to serve as officials and judges, 4,000 to serve as gatekeepers and another
4,000 to serve as musicians (23:3-5).
It was easy in this passage to get lost in all of the names and
numbers, but what was happening is very important. The new Temple would be
magnificent in size, in splendor, and in service. It would be so big and so
busy that there would be a host of servants needed to carry on the work. Now,
not all 38,000 would be serving simultaneously; each person had his specific
place and time assigned to him by the sacred lots. Thus, everyone knew what he
was supposed to do; someone would be ministering in God’s presence and to
God’s people at all times.
While all of this seems foreign to us today, as we do not have a grand
Temple to which all people attend for worship, we can certainly relate, in a
general sense, what is taking place here to the Church today. No
matter the size of the congregation, the Lord’s work does not happen on its
own. People
are needed to carry on the vital ministries of the Church to the body of Christ
and the surrounding community.
Furthermore, while God has called some to be pastors or elders and
deacons to lead out in specific ministries, He has called us all to
serve in some capacity. Just as He assigned the Levites their places by sacred lots, He has
as- signed to each of us a spiritual gift, to be used for the good of others,
to serve and minister to them (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12). Without
a host of people, fulfilling their God-given “assignments,”
the work of the Church will not be accomplished. Here is one of many
reasons why we must be involved in the ministry of a local church. It needs us
to carry on what God has instructed for the benefit of believers and the
propagation of the Gospel.
Daily Reflection
When thinking about your own experience in the Church, who are some of
the people whom God has used, in some capacity, to serve you? How have you been
encouraged or equipped by those who have volunteered their time and efforts?
What gift(s) has the Lord given you and how are you using them in His
Church to serve others?
When I think about my experience with the Church, much of
who I am today, spiritually speaking, is a result of a host of men and women
who poured into me as a child, a youth, and an adult. I am grateful for those who have
been faithful to be used of God to disciple me. I want to be faithful, by the
grace of God, to do the same for others. Do you?
BiAY.org | Daily Reflections Day 123 — 242 Days to Go
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