Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?
1 Chronicles 29:3-5 NIV
When King David addressed the whole assembly of Israel, he turned to his son Solomon with a striking declaration. “The task is great,” David said, “because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God” (1 Chronicles 29:1). Solomon was young, tender, and inexperienced. Yet God had chosen him — not for a small task, but for one of the greatest responsibilities in Israel’s history. This raises a question worth sitting with. If God does not require age or experience before He chooses someone, what does He require? The answer, as David made plain, comes down to consecrating yourself to God. This is a response that no one else can give on your behalf.
Chosen Before You Arrived
God’s choice does not wait for human credentials. In Jeremiah 1:5, the Lord declared: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” He continued: “Before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah had not yet lived a single day when God first made that appointment. Similarly, God had settled Solomon’s calling long before Solomon was old enough to grasp it.
Jeremiah said plainly: “I do not know how to speak; I am too young” (Jeremiah 1:6). God’s response was direct (Jeremiah 1:7). “Do not say I am too young,” He replied. “You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.” God then added: “I am with you and will rescue you” (Jeremiah 1:8). His presence, not Jeremiah’s qualifications, was therefore the deciding factor. Indeed, across Scripture, the most important prerequisite for entering God’s plan is carrying His presence. Without it, nothing else qualifies a person for His purposes.
Chosen Does Not Mean Free to Live Anyhow
God’s sovereign election is not a licence to live as you please. In 1 Chronicles 28:9, David turned to Solomon with a sobering instruction. “Acknowledge the God of your father,” he said, “and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind.” The reason was plain: “The Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.” The stakes, however, were not trivial. Indeed, God’s choice of Solomon did not guarantee Solomon’s faithfulness. That remained Solomon’s responsibility alone.
Furthermore, David pressed this home directly. “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” (1 Chronicles 28:9–10). The choice is God’s. The seeking — the wholehearted devotion and willing mind — is yours. So the fact that God has chosen you must never leave your mind or heart.
The Urgency of Consecrating Yourself to God
David then asked the assembly a pointed question: “Who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?” (1 Chronicles 29:5). The question lands with weight. Consecrating yourself to God is an individual act. No one can assign it to another, inherit it for someone else, or complete it on another’s behalf. You must do it willingly, and you must do it now.
The word “today” matters. Consecration is not something to delay until ‘life grows quieter’ or until you feel more prepared. God, who appointed you before your birth, is ready to receive you as you are. The question is not, therefore, whether you are qualified. It is simply whether you are willing to consecrate yourself and do whatever He says.
Living It Out
God’s sovereign choice and your personal response belong together. He has already made His commitment — to know you, to appoint you, to be with you. Consecrating yourself to God today is the answer only you can give Him.