A God-Centered Life
1 Chronicles 24-27

Chapters 24-27 of 1 Chronicles are massive list of names—names of many of those involved in the government of David, king of Israel. In addition to the divisions of the Levites found in chapter 23, we find divisions of the priests, musicians, gatekeepers, military leaders and finally other kingdom officials.

It is certain that other officials served David before these latter years of his life. But, what is unique with all these lists save the last mentioned in chapter 27, is that they all revolve around spiritual functions. David anticipated the temple period. Though he knew he would never build it or even see it, he made preparations for it. Service to God was not, in the temple age, to be a thrown-together or secondary operation. As the temple was built after the life of David, people were to see that the worship of Yahweh was important; it was to be treated in a special way. Such a spiritual mindset should not surprise us coming from David; this was the way he had lived his life for years.

While few (if any) of us will ever be involved in the process of establishing a functional government, all of us everyday see to the ordering of our lives. There is a need for order of some kind for life to function properly. There are numerous things needed in our lives: training of some kind for labor, then work, shelter, clothing, food, etc. But, what David did not overlook in his government is the one thing we cannot overlook in our lives: our lives must be ordered around God. Other things will certainly demand our attention, but if you want to have a meaningful life, nothing can demand greater attention than He.

Solomon, the son of David, seemed to forget this in both governmental and personal affairs for a period of time in his life. Yet it seems that by the end of his days, he learned the error of his ways. "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Jesus, in fewer words, said it like this, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

As David shows us, service to God cannot be an afterthought or a "tack-on." Rather, it must be the prime part of our lives, and everything else must be ordered around Him. Great efforts should be made in our lives, and for the sake of those who we influence, those efforts ought to be seen. They ought to be sacrificial. We must remind ourselves on a regular basis that service to God is unlike everything else; nothing else—work, family, fame, fortune or pleasure— gives such eternal reward or fulfillment. Indeed, it alone is the "whole duty of man."