ADDITION FROM AFFECTION
R.D.Plant
I am just impressed, beloved, with what love adds, as David here says: "moreover, in my affection for the house of my God". There is a line to be kept alive amongst us, beloved. I think one of the distinctive features of Christianity is that it draws out more than what is prescribed, that is, you will give more than you have to give. Certain things are required of us in responsibility; there are certain things that we must not let go. How thankful we are for those who have discharged their responsibilities in relation to the house of God! Thank God for those in this area who in a sense have laid down their lives in relation to the house of God and in what belongs to it and the principles that govern it. But they were not just marked by that; I think there has been excess as well, the excess of love. Supremely this feature is seen in the Lord Jesus. In Numbers it speaks of the ark and its movements. The prescribed place for the ark was to journey in the midst of the camps, but it says that the ark went before them: "the ark of the covenant of Jehovah went before them in the three days' journey to search out a resting-place for them", Num 10: 33. Beloved, that speaks of Jesus, the One who went forward in the wonderful love that marked Him to find out a resting-place for us.
Now in this scripture David says "Solomon my son, the one whom God has chosen, is young and tender". He is concerned for the coming generation and I think we need to be before God as to the next generation and especially those who are committed to the Lord and His interests. I believe there is cause to thank God for young people in this land who are committed to Christ and who are committed to the assembly. And, as David here, who says "Solomon my son... is young and tender", we are concerned for them too. We pray for them, pray for that "young and tender" line, possibly the final generation before the Lord Jesus comes. David says "Solomon... is young and tender, and the work is great; for this palace is not to be for man, but for God". David had given much in his affliction (see 1 Chron 22: 14) and, beloved, there are those here who over many years have given in their responsibility and through conflict in abundance for the house of God. Thank God for it! It is all measured, it is all known; what has come down in a pure way, undiluted, gold for things of gold, silver for things of silver, wood for things of wood, iron for things of iron; distinctively these things have come out. But after all this David recognises that Solomon is young and tender and the work is great; and that is where we are today, beloved. So he says, I will give a little more out of my affection for the house of my God. I would ask the beloved brethren, especially the older ones, especially perhaps the older sisters who may have prayed all their lives, who, you may say, have given their all in relation to the testimony, I would ask them and all of us today to give a little more in affection for the house of our God that there might be a continuation of what is for Him and that the great work might be completed. There is nothing like the quantity here that you get out of David's affliction but the quality is the very best. Beloved, affection will add its crowning touch to stimulate those of us who are younger and especially those who are committed and perhaps stir up those who at the moment are not, that the work might be completed.
PLAINFIELD
31 May 1983