“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work. Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the Lord, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service. He designated the weight of gold for all the gold articles to be used in various kinds of service, and the weight of silver for all the silver articles to be used in various kinds of service: the weight of gold for the gold lampstands and their lamps, with the weight for each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand; the weight of gold for each table for consecrated bread; the weight of silver for the silver tables; the weight of pure gold for the forks, sprinkling bowls and pitchers; the weight of gold for each gold dish; the weight of silver for each silver dish; and the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also gave him the plan for the chariot, that is, the cherubim of gold that spread their wings and overshadow the ark of the covenant of the Lord.”—1 Chronicles 28:9–18 (NIV)

There’s this scene in Avengers: Endgame that always chokes me up. It’s not the scene where all the Avengers who had been dusted come back and Captain America finally says “Avengers assemble.” It’s not the moment Morgan says, “I love you 3,000.” It’s the part where they play the message Tony Stark/Iron Man’s recording that he made for everyone, but especially for his daughter Morgan. His voice is calm and fatherly, but there’s weight behind every word. He knows what’s about to happen and what could happen as a result. He’s preparing to lay everything on the line . . . not just for the world, but for his daughter’s future.

That’s the heart of David in 1 Chronicles 28. David knows his time is short. The glory days of his military victories and royal triumphs are behind him. But his greatest legacy isn’t a battlefield conquest; it’s a blueprint for a house.

Now, we know this isn’t any ordinary house. It’s not simply a house made of wood and stone, but one filled with the presence and glory of God. This house will be a place for worship . . . a place for generations to meet with the Holy One.

And so, he turns to his son, Solomon, and speaks what might be the most important words of his life: “Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind.”

Not “build something big,” not “be successful,” and not “carry on our family name.” David’s message is simply, “Know God. Serve God. Seek God.” After many failures with some of his other children, for David this wasn’t about raising a king; instead, it was about forming a son who would walk with the Lord. 

This wasn’t some ceremonial, generic advice from a dying king; it was a desperate, love-soaked plea from a father who knew how fragile and “meaningless” (a word Solomon used A LOT in Ecclesiastes) it all really was apart from a relationship with the Lord. These were the wise words of a king who had learned through triumphs and tragedies, through incredible feats and incredible failures, that what matters most isn’t the kingdom you build, but the God you follow. 

And here’s something super important to consider: David makes sure to tell Solomon (and us) that “the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.” Basically, he’s saying you can fake it with people—you can lead a nation or a ministry with polish and charisma—but not with God.

And that’s what makes what David does next so powerful. He hands Solomon the blueprints—not his own ideas or vision, but what the Lord revealed to him by the Spirit. These plans covered every dimension, chamber, lampstand, and bowl . . . everything down to the utensils. Nothing was left to chance. And as David says in verse 19, all of it came “as a result of the Lord’s hand.” In other words: “Don’t improvise. Don’t substitute. Build exactly what God revealed. Worship God as He desires to be worshipped, not as you desire to worship Him.”

Like Moses who never entered the Promised Land, David didn’t get to see it finished. He never got to stand in its courts or watch the glory descend. But he knew his role: to prepare the next generation to build what he couldn’t. It reminds me of a line in Hamilton: “Legacy. What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” David was content to plant the garden so future generations could enjoy its fruit. 

What about you? Are you okay with doing the unseen work that others will build on? Are you willing to be the one who prepares the way, even if your name doesn’t go on the plaque?

But there’s something deeper happening here, friends. The true beauty of this moment is that it isn’t just about Solomon’s temple. Because the temple, as glorious as it was, was always temporary and pointing forward. It would eventually be desecrated, destroyed, rebuilt, and destroyed again. Until one day a better temple walked into Jerusalem—not made of stone, but of flesh and blood; not a building, but a Man . . . the Son of Man.

Jesus is the fulfillment of the Temple, the place where heaven and earth meet, the very presence of God in our midst. He said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19 NIV). And when He went to the cross, He tore the veil in the temple in two, forever opening the way for us to meet with God . . . not in a physical structure, but through Him, our Mediator. 

Where David handed over blueprints, Jesus handed over His body. 

Where Solomon oversaw the building, Jesus became the chief cornerstone. 

Where the high priest used to enter once a year, Jesus now stands forever interceding so we can enter here and now and for all eternity. And now, through Him, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

So, the true legacy question we must ask ourselves isn’t, “What am I building?” but “Who am I becoming?” Remember David’s word: “Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind.”

In this life, God hands us many incredible blessings and plans—gifts, talents, passions, family, our testimony. But above and beyond all that, as believers He hands us the message of the gospel and the ministry of reconciliation. May we build our lives on both faithfully. May we seek to advance the gospel and the kingdom not for our own glory, but for His. May we use the blueprint of His Word to build our lives. May we live every moment and teach future generations to serve Him with a willing mind and a whole heart.

Pause: Are you more focused on building for God or abiding with Him? Where is your heart divided? Where has duty replaced delight?

Practice: Take 10 minutes today to write your own version of David’s charge to Solomon—for your child, your spouse, your team, or even your future self. Let it be rooted in knowing God, not doing for God.

Pray: Father, I want to build what You’ve designed . . . not what my ego craves. Give me a whole heart and a willing mind. Teach me to walk closely with You so what I leave behind points others to Your glory, not mine. Help me to serve with joy, obey with trust, and prepare with faithfulness. Make me a person who desires to advance Your kingdom, not my own, to build up Your house and Your people, not my power or fame or security. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.