1 Chronicles 17:16-21English Standard Version

David’s Prayer

¹⁶ Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? ¹⁷ And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, [^a] O Lord God! ¹⁸ And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant. ¹⁹ For your servant’s sake, O Lord, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. ²⁰ There is none like you, O Lord, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²¹ And who is like your people Israel, the one^[b] nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and awesome things, in driving out nations before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt?

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

People need and want to feel important and needed. They want to believe that their life has meaning, that their life matters muchly, and they are valuable. We need to know that, from birth to death, the lives we lived mattered to someone beyond ourselves. Our hopes, our dreams, our cherished aspirations mattered. We have a place and purpose in life which is something that comes to have a meaningful place in the course of life. Someone loves us, makes us valuable. A husband or a wife, children and grandchildren, friends, a great job, a career.

There are and always will be arguments in any workplace that the worker has because he feels he deserves more pay than what he is getting. People will tend to always feel unrecognized and that they deserve more than they are getting.

David had decided that he wanted to build a temple for God. God loved his heart but told him that he was not the one to do it, but his son would build the temple. God also promised him that he would always have a son sitting on the throne.

David was thoroughly overwhelmed with what God had said and asked who he was that God would do this for him. He did not get angry with God, but truly understood the favor that God was giving him and could not understand it.

It is common for believers to develop the same attitude that the world has. They often feel that they deserve to have the absolute best of everything, and then get far above, beyond upset when God does not give them something they desire.

The reality is that no person really deserves anything but painful death from God. From true paradise, Sin has brought death upon every person, including believers. Yet, God loved people so much that He provided a way out of that death. He has given every believer unmerited favor upon their lives. (John 3:16)

In every believer, God has poured out many blessings and His favor in ways that the world cannot understand.

Take a look at your own life. How has God blessed you over the days and years? Despite any situation you may be going through or have gone through, God has still given you great favor. God will continue to shower great favor upon you.

God has also spoken His abundance of blessings over your life and promised a great future. Your future includes eternal life with no more pain or suffering.

Over time God has already brought you through many things which you did not deserve to receive or then survive from. God did this because of His great love for you, not because you deserved anything. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

LIVING A LIFE OF PURPOSE: SELF – REFLECTION

David left his extravagant palace, went into the Tabernacle and sat down before the Lord and he asked God to enlighten his soul as to why he deserved anything like what he had just been promised – an eternal kingdom in all of the heavens.

David had been humbled more so than at any time in his life of successes and his life of vast and catastrophic failures. David realized that something beyond what he knew he deserved had just been guaranteed by God. David was asking himself many tough questions and he was not able to provide himself with any easy answers which made the least bit of sense to him. David was genuinely lost in the moment, this crossroads between his temporary Kingship and his death. Something just did not make any sense to him. He had great wealth; he had a reputation as the greatest King, he had incredible personal power to change the course of his nation’s history. Only now, God has called him away from himself.

Understanding yourself at a deeper level is essential to living a life with purpose.

So often we look outwards to find peace, contentment, comfort and compassion – for ourselves and for others. What if we could, instead, try to find these deeper feelings within ourselves, enhancing awareness, emotional intelligence, goal achievement and the ability to live a life with purpose?

Self-reflection is absolutely necessary if we are to be clear about our purpose in life. Being clear about one’s purpose brings meaning, perspective and adds enjoyment to life.

As part of my ministry, and because I am interested in what factors lead to confidence, happiness and success, I am always wondering to what measure, to what degree do people actually rely on external feedback for confidence and self-esteem, feeling good about themselves, feeling purposeful and valued.

While it’s always a wonderful feeling and confidence builder to receive positive feedback, indeed it is absolutely necessary, to receive both positive and negative feedback from others about how your actions influence the way others perceive you, it is also crucial to listen to your own inner voice. If you do not know who you are and what you’re abundantly passionate and purposeful about—and like it—it will be close to impossible for you to be express your best and most valued self to the world and to follow the route that matters most, works best for YOU.

5 benefits of reflection for living a life with purpose

1. Reflection transforms thoughts into genuine learning about how beliefs and values affect happiness, life choices and goal achievement. Understanding how your beliefs and values affect you is the first step towards uncovering your life’s purpose.
2. Taking time to reflect on challenges, approaches and options, increase self-awareness which is a key component of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is a critical life and leadership skill.
3. Improve empathy levels and understanding of others by reflecting on your relationships. Forming connections, building close relationships are key to a live well-lived.
4. Spark your creativity by keeping a notebook handy for when ideas strike. Take time to reflect on the pro’s, cons, compromises and possibilities of your ideas so that you are reasonably clear on which ideas are those that matter to you.
5. Increase focus, productivity and goal achievement by writing down your plans and goals – then reflecting in the presence of God, on just which strategies and activities that will lead to goal achievement, self-value and living with purpose.

With increasingly busy and stressful lives, it’s more important for your success levels than ever, to take time to yourself. Whether you’re an extrovert who may find alone-time challenging or an introvert who craves time by yourself, you can deliver the 5 benefits listed above – and more, by taking some time every day for self-reflection.

11 questions which will prayerfully help your “me and God” reflections be more effective

In the presence of God, the Lord, sit down, ask yourself open questions as you reflect, for example like the questions listed below, to find a way to explore your thoughts and feelings, to help you provide clarity and compassion for yourself.

• How am I feeling today?
• What is my intention today?
• What about my life/this situation do I find challenging/worrying?
• How did I contribute to this situation?
• What are all my options?
• Which parts of my life do I love the most?
• What am I grateful for?
• How can I show kindness to someone I care for?
• What would I like to do more of?
• How will I choose to show myself love and kindness today?
• What’s great about me?

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Life is always going to full of ups and downs, good times, not so good times. Remember that after darkness comes light. Time passes, feelings change.

Take time to think. Examine your thoughts and feelings. You may choose to keep your reflections private, using your notebook or journal as a trusted confidante without an agenda. Or you may discover as you process your reflections that you would like to ask someone for help and choose to share.

Sitting on a park bench, alone with Jesus, Reflections help create value, meaning, an essential element to living a life with purpose.

Isaiah 55:1-3, Matthew 11:28-30, Luke 24:13-35, John 15, 17, 21:15-19

Take quality time to come away from yourselves, just sit in the presence of God!

Realize who you are in Christ Jesus.

Even if the whole world refuses to acknowledge it,

You and I have value! You and I are valued! You and I absolutely matter!

Even when we cannot sense it or find no reason to accept it within ourselves,

We have purpose!

We have value!

We have an over-abundance of “God-Esteem!”

You and I are God’s child, because of what Jesus did for us for love, not because of you. Give God greatest praise for what He has done for you and made us to be.

In the name of God, the Father, and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus Christ, your power is beyond compare. You turned water into wine. You restored sight to the blind and made the deaf hear. You made the lame walk. You healed the sick, you fed the thousands and raised the dead. You conquered death in your resurrection. Everything you touch is powerfully transformed. Let me know and experience that powerful touch in my life. Lord, bless me and keep me, make your face shine upon me.  Through your mighty name, Alleluia! Amen

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