1 Chronicles 28:20 David said further to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and act. Do not be afraid or dismayed; for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.

In my mind’s eye, I have plans. I won’t attribute them to divine revelation, because they are not. They are born of my own ideas about the future, where I see myself ten years down the road, and the future of “church” which is a rapidly changing idea now-a-days.

The struggle is logistics- is it possible? Will all the factors that support that vision fall into place: money, time, intelligence, stamina? I admit I am rooted in place with fear. Fear of failure, fear of inadequacy, even fear of the unknown holds me still as if I was pinned down by a two ton boulder. Certainly, I have stepped off the proverbial cliff before on faith but back then it felt like the stakes were lower if I fell short of my goals.

The scripture from 1 Chronicles finds Solomon in a similar place. His father, the great King David, wants to build a temple for God. However it is not David’s temple to build, that is Solomon’s job. The plans and specs will be provided, but the ultimate responsibility falls to a young Solomon. With no experience and this being God’s house and all, the pressure is palpable. David, as well as the tribes of Israel have all made contributions. Expectation levels are high and I can only imagine the fear that Solomon feels as the task is placed before him.

These words above are David’s encouraging words to Solomon. It will take Solomon seven years to complete the temple, and he will be heralded for it. This verse encourages us as well. Be strong. Have good courage and ACT. Do not be afraid. You will not be failed or forsaken until the work of the Lord is completed.

Every journey begins with the first step. It may take one hour or seven years, but it will not begin until that initial act of faith- in God or yourself. It may not go as smoothly as you’d like, you may falter or even fall short of your goals; however keep in mind that this life we lead keeps putting before us opportunities to love and live in profound ways. If we root ourselves in fear, we miss out. Take the first step my friends. God will not disappoint you.