Gird your loins and Go for it! by Rev. Kim Kingshill
1 Chronicles 28:9-10 (King David to Solomon)
…know thou the God of thy Father,
(imperative)
And serve him
à with a perfect heart (shalem lev – a whole heart; ‘wholeheartedly’)
à with a willing mind (chepet nepesh – a desiring ‘anima’)
(imperative)
For the Lord
à searches all hearts (inquires after, seeks)
à understands all the imaginations of the thoughts (discerns, distinguishes)
If thou seek him à He will be found of thee
(inquire after, search)à(attain, obtain)
If thou forsake him à He will cast thee off forever.
(loosen binds, let go, abandon)à (throw away something that stinks or is loathed)
(conditional future)
Take heed now, (observe, perceive, consider)
(imperative)
For the Lord has chosen thee à to build a house for the sanctuary;
(present perfect) (infinitive)
(a habitation to be the sacred place)
Be strong and act. (‘tie fast’ ‘bind firmly’) (‘labor’ ‘work’)
(imperative)
Possible connection back to Deuteronomy 6:5
You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
Possible connection forward to Isaiah 26:3
Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—
in peace because they trust in you.
Both verbs ‘to know’ (v.9) and ‘to heed’ (v.10) have the quality of ‘to see’ in their definition. Be aquainted with… and perceive…
Both verbs ‘to serve’ (v.9) and ‘to act’ (v.10) have the quality of ‘to labor’ in their definition. Work for… and do, make…
‘Wholeheartedly’ serve God who searches hearts
With ‘motivation’ serve God who discerns intentions
Search after God who searches after you and you will be found by him
If you ‘loosen your hold’ God will not only ‘loosen his hold’ but discard you…
Not only has God ‘found you’ but God has ‘chosen you.’
God has ‘chosen you’ for a purpose à to build his sacred habitation
Therefore ‘tighten the knot’ and ‘get to work’