Daily Devotional For Monday, May 4, 2026
Good morning and good day Southside! Our devotional reading today is based on the reading for today from the One Year Chronological Bible. Our text is from 1 Chronicles 28:8-10:
“So now, with God as our witness, and in the sight of all Israel—the LORD’s assembly—I give you this charge. Be careful to obey all the commands of the LORD your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it to your children as a permanent inheritance. (9) ‘And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve Him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek Him, you will find Him. But if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. (10) So take this seriously. The LORD has chosen you to build a Temple as His sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work’” (NLT).
David is giving Solomon, his son and the next king over Israel a blessing and a warning. David knows from personal experience what happens when you reject the Lord and His commandments. He paid a huge price through the consequences the Lord made him endure. David is simply trying to save his son, Solomon, from the same thing.
If you were able to read Hebrew, you would see that the pronouns “you” and “your” are plural. David is not just giving this to Solomon, but to all the leaders of Israel. David had been a visible reminder of God keeping His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Joshua to give them the Promise Land. Now that it is time for David to die and leave, the nation is vulnerable to forsaking the Lord. David was the physical reminder of God’s strength, wisdom and power. So, once David died, the people would now need to trust in a God they could not see but whose presence, power, and goodness and wisdom are forever.
When we come to verse 10, David focuses only on Solomon to start and finish the Temple. Why? The Temple would now serve as a visible reminder of the abode of the Lord, His presence and power among the nation of Israel. This passage reminds us of the responsibilities that Christian parents have to personally teach and disciple their own children. Unfortunately, many leave that to Children Church leaders or to youth leaders.
Proverbs 22:6a says, “Direct your children onto the right path . . .” (NLT). This is directed directly to parents, not anyone else. Deuteronomy 6:7 says, “Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up” (NLT). Repeat what? – The commands of the Lord from Scripture. Deuteronomy 4:9 says, “But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren” (NLT).
The best legacy we can leave our children for us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to instill in them the same priority and attitude. This means we have to live it; not just teach it or emphasize it. They have to see it in our lives. It is hypocrisy to expect our children to follow the Lord when they see that we are not following the Lord. This means that the responsibility to teach, instill and hold accountable our children’s spiritual relationship to the Lord falls solely on parents, not the church. The church is there to supplement what the parents are doing at home. And many times the church can’t even do that if the parents are being inconsistent or disobedient in their relationship to the Lord.
Reflection Assignment: “If you knew you were going to die this week, what would you say to your children and grandchildren? Why? What really is the most important truth and lesson you want your children and grandchildren to grasp, learn and apply to their lives? Getting a good education? Getting a good job? Making a lot of money? Getting married? Or, loving and following the Lord Jesus Christ with all their hearts, souls, minds and strength?
Scripture To Meditate On: Deuteronomy 11:18-21, “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. (19) Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. (20) Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, (21) so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, please give me the determination and wisdom to instruct my children and grandchildren in Your way for their lives. Please forgive me when I have failed in this or have put that responsibility onto others. I accept it is mine until the day I die. I promise to do this until You take me home. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly