Readings for today: 1 Chronicles 23-26
“When David was old and full of days, he installed his son Solomon as king over Israel.” (1 Chronicles 23:1 CSB)
I am now in my fifties. Many of my dearest friends and colleagues are in their sixties. In my culture in America, seventy is usually the outer limit on retirement. It’s surprising to me how fast I got here. I still remember getting started in ministry in my twenties and thinking I had all the time in the world. Now I am wondering if I have enough time left to get done all the things I’d love to get done for the Lord. When one gets to this stage in life, one starts to think about succession planning. It’s a common topic of conversation among many of my friends. They have led fruitful ministries for many years and they wonder who will come after them. Some of them have the chance to pick their successor. Some will have their successor chosen for them. Some will have great influence on who follows them. Some will have no influence at all. Some are anxious about what might happen. Some feel a deep sense of peace. Being part of these conversations reminds me that none of is eternal. We are simply links in a much longer chain. Called to take our place and do our part for however long a season God may grant.
I love how David planned for his succession. Yes, he was able to choose his successor but more importantly David made sure the nation was ready for the handoff. He gathered all the leaders. He brought together the priests and Levites. He counted them up and organized them into different divisions with different responsibilities. He did this in accordance with their ancestral families to make sure the perpetual inheritance given to them by the Lord remained intact. He also prepared them for change. His son was planning to build a Temple. No longer would the Levites be required to set up and tear down the Tabernacle or carry it from place to place. They would now have a permanent home in Jerusalem and the holy things of God would have a resting place. This represented a pretty dramatic change for them which may not have been easy so David made sure to smooth the way for his son.
All of us have to think about succession. All of us have to think about who may follow in our footsteps. We think about it in our families with our children and grandchildren. We think about it at work in the positions we hold. We think about it in other areas of life where we may be leaders or have influence. Following the example of David means faithfully preparing the way for the person whom God may call to come after you. It means setting things in order as much as you are able to make things as easy as possible for that person to step up and step in. It means preparing those you serve for any changes to come to smooth over any resistance. To quote the words of the ancient prophet, Isaiah, it means lifting up every valley and laying low every mountain. Straightening the crooked ways and making the rough places plain. It means considering the needs of others or the organization as more important than your own.
Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 131, 138, 139, 143, 144, 145