Friday,  May 30th
Reading for Today:  1 Chronicles 21-22,  2 Samuel 24 and Psalm 30

I'm not sure exactly why David wasn't allowed to count the fighting men, the Bible never says why.  Maybe it was because it would lead to pride, maybe it would tempt him to go to war (given the large number of combatants he could muster).   It really doesn't matter what the reason was, it was wrong.   David knew it, and his commander Joab knew it.   But they did it anyway.   I guess you can't really blame Joab, because David outranked him and made him do it.   Joab could have refused, and probably would have lost his job.   Somehow I think God would have made up for that for Joab.
Anyway,  I pray that you and I never fall into the trap of doing something God said not to do.  Even if it doesn't seem sinful by itself.  For me, working on Sunday generally falls into this category.   Every once in a while I feel released to work, but generally I know that I am not supposed to be working.   Others occasionally come in and help out on Sunday...and that's fine, but I almost always need to clear my schedule on Sunday.   God must have a reason.    One of my favorite verses comes from this story.  I have shortened it slightly to fit my situation.  "I will not offer to the Lord a sacrifice that cost me nothing".     Any time that I feel I am really "paying the full price" either in a loaned tool that doesn't return, or returns broken (from being used at the Church), or when I am sore after working, or have hurt myself in some way, or when I sometimes use my money to buy something that the Church should be purchasing....   I remember this verse, and consider whatever has happened to be part of my sacrifice.

In 1 Chronicles 22  David begins preparations for the temple.   He wasn't allowed to build it, but God didn't say he couldn't help.   David does two things that I think our generation is missing:   He sets aside an enormous amount of resource for the next generation, and he begins training his son and instructing the advisers, casting the vision and preparing the way.      If we can't do it ourselves, we shrug our shoulders and say "Oh well, someone else can do that"  but what about the jobs that take more than one generation to accomplish?   Some jobs need the resources and wisdom of several generations.
For instance:   raising children.  That requires more wisdom and resources than one generation can muster.  Yet we see kids being raised without the benefit of family all the time.   You don't get the same robust results when you try and do it all yourself.   Building Churches.  That requires two or three generations.   And the vision must remain clear through each group.    Someone has to be unselfish and set aside resources so that another generation can build.    That's what David did, and that's what we should do.    He didn't build the Sanctuary, but he built his legacy.    We should fight against selfishness and pride, and provide for the next generation.      A friend told me once that Oak trees aren't as popular for people to plant as Maple because they grow so much slower.   You probably won't live to see the Oak tree become large.   He said "one generation plants, so the next generation can enjoy the shade".    I have planted some oak trees on our church property, and he's right...in 4 years they haven't grown much.   Maybe some day my grandchildren will sit underneath a huge oak tree that has large shady branches and realize the value of working now for a people who are to come.

Psalm 30.   The psalm seems to fit with David's careless taking of the census.  It's nice to know that even if we do sin, God will continue to love and care for us.   He will eventually turn from His wrath and restore us if we are repentant.  "his anger lasts for a moment, but his favor for a lifetime".    That's good stuff.