Before reading my Bible this morning, I asked the Holy Spirit to teach me something from God’s Word that I could meditate on throughout the day. I felt exhausted and needed encouragement to lift my spirits! I sat down to read my daily passage of Scripture.
I must be honest: my heart sank a little when I saw that the scheduled reading was in I Kings chapter 6. I am not a big fan of this chapter because it talks about building the temple and all the little parts that went into building the temple. I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way! While I am not proud of feeling this way, the repetitiveness of all the little details and measurements in this chapter is not riveting to me. I, nevertheless, try to read every single word.
In spite of my dismal attitude, God did not disappoint. I had not gotten far into the chapter when a couple of verses just seemed to jump off the page. I first noticed verse 9: So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.
Then, as I kept reading, I noticed verse 14: So Solomon built the house, and finished it.
If those verses were not enough in and of themselves, I noticed verse 38. This verse says, And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.
I do not know if any other Christian ladies can sympathize with me, but I often am guilty of starting something and never finishing it. I have various art projects throughout my studio that I have started but never finished. I also have quite a few Bible devotions that I have started and never finished. I also enrolled in an art business course last year that I started but never finished.
So many things in life can distract us from finishing what we start. I believe that Christians should be people who are diligent in finishing the things that we start. The Lord convicted me of that in my own life this morning.
I do not want to be someone who does not have the character to finish the things that I start. I marvel at how long it took Solomon to build God’s temple. Even though it took seven years, he did not get sidetracked. He promised to build God’s temple and did not let anything get in his way. Certainly, there were obstacles that could have derailed the whole project. However, Solomon kept going until he finished building God’s house.
I want to have that same determination in my life to finish what I start. I want this, not so I can say, “Look at what I accomplished.” I want to finish what I start so I have a good testimony before the Lord and others. I want to be a good steward of my time and to be diligent in all that I do.
The Bible says in II Corinthians 8:22, And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.
I want to be diligent in all that I do; I want the Lord to be proud of me and to trust me with the things He has given me. No matter how long it takes me, I am going to finish these projects that I have started in the past. After all, if I want God to use my life to do great things, I must prove myself diligent in the little things He gives me to do.
by April Hernandez
