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Solomon — 1 Kings 10:1-13

14 Aug

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the Lord. She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true! I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told. How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom! Praise the Lord your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.” Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. (In addition, Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought rich cargoes of red sandalwood and precious jewels. The king used the sandalwood to make railings for the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before or since has there been such a supply of sandalwood.) King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for, besides all the customary gifts he had so generously given. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land.
1 Kings 10:1-13

Dear God, I’m reading this story and trying to see beyond the surface of it. Is there a hidden story beneath the obvious one?

I started this series on Solomon so that I could see if I could trace his downfall as a good man into a mean and harsh king. Perhaps I should go ahead and refresh myself on his life and read the rest of 1 Kings because I’m wondering if a story like this one played into him becoming more arrogant and less submitted to you.

Regardless, Solomon had a lot of praise heaped upon him in this story. Frankly, that can happen to me as well. In my work of “doing good,” people often think more highly of me than they should. I get praise that is sometimes deserved, but often undeserved. But even with the deserved praise, do I deflect it for your glory and not mine? Do I allow myself to decrease and encourage your increase, or do I go along and satisfy my ego and insecurities with their praise?

Father, help me to always be mindful that you are the reason that I am anything and that my life is counting for anything. It starts with the mercy you show me and the forgiveness you give me. Then it flows from there to your provision as I submit myself to you. You are the reason I have any shot at living a life that is at peace. Your Holy Spirit is what brings love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, etc. into my life. You are my all in all. Help me to reflect that.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 14, 2019 in 1 Kings, Solomon

 

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Solomon — 1 Kings 9:25

12 Aug

Three times each year Solomon presented burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord. He also burned incense to the Lord. And so he finished the work of building the Temple.
1 Kings 9:25

Dear God, now that I’ve finished going through these first few years of Solomon’s reign (okay, 20 years), it’s going to be interesting to see how things morph for the rest of his life. In this passage, he is disciplining himself and being careful to still bring you offerings to the Temple. That’s good. But sometimes, disciplining myself to go through the motions of discipleship without bringing my heart along and into the proper place is meaningless.

This certainly happens to me. Even in spending this time in scripture and doing these prayer journals, I can sometimes be mechanical about it and not bring my heart into the right place. Using Solomon in this story as an example, was he burning the sacrifices to you out of homage, or was he truly repenting of his sin before you as he did the sacrifices? I suspect that there might have been some repentance sometimes, but I would imagine that, for the most part, this was a duty he was performing and not a submission or resubmission to you.

Father, help me to–each time I come to you in prayer–to bring my heart with me and search it. Help me to seek you and submit to you. Help me to repent. Help me to love. Help me to give. Help me to do the work you have for me. Help me to go when you say, “Go,” and wait when you say, “Wait.” And help me to model this for others.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 12, 2019 in 1 Kings, Solomon

 

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Solomon — 1 Kings 9:15, 20-22

11 Aug

This is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s Temple, the royal palace, the supporting terraces, the wall of Jerusalem, and the cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. There were still some people living in the land who were not Israelites, including Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not completely destroyed. So Solomon conscripted them as slaves, and they serve as forced laborers to this day. But Solomon did not conscript any of the Israelites for forced labor. Instead, he assigned them to serve as fighting men, government officials, officers and captains in his army, commanders of his chariots, and charioteers.
1 Kings 9:15,20-22

Dear God, my thought as I considered this story this morning was that sometimes we just have no idea that what we are doing is wrong. I makes sense to us because it’s the societal norm, but it’s just wrong. The hard part is figuring out what is wrong and what isn’t. What moral compass do we use to draw that line? In this case, I could, indeed, use the Bible to endorse slavery of conquered people.

Of course, there are all kinds of things that people argue over today, and they will try to use the Bible as their moral compass. Homosexuality and abortion are two glaring examples, and while I have definite opinions about one of them, I am very uncertain about how I feel about the other. What am I to do?

I think that part of the New Covenant that Jesus brought is adding love to everything. When in doubt, add love. When I want to judge someone for their substance abuse–add love. When I want to judge someone for being gay or getting an abortion–add love. When I want to judge someone for being an illegal immigrant, or even for being a hater, add love. I watched the movie 12 Angry Men last night. What would that room have looked like if someone who legitimately thought the young man was guilty still had love for him? I guess that’s what the Henry Fonda character kind of did, but it wasn’t quite what I’m talking about.

Father, help me to have love for others. Help me to turn loose of judging them and to simply have compassion and love for them. Even for those who do bad things to me, help me to love them anyway. Help me to be an extension of your grace and love to them. Do it for my good as much as anything else.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 11, 2019 in 1 Kings, Solomon

 

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Solomon — 1 Kings 9:10-14

10 Aug

At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built these two buildings—the temple of the Lord and the royal palace— King Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, because Hiram had supplied him with all the cedar and juniper and gold he wanted. But when Hiram went from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. “What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?” he asked. And he called them the Land of Kabul, a name they have to this day. Now Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents of gold.
1 Kings 9:10-14

Dear God, I just spent some time looking at all of the verses in the Bible that mention Hiram. It doesn’t mention where he came from, but he seemed to be a friend to David and to Solomon, but he also seemed to acknowledge you and worship you. Both 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles record him, at least verbally, giving you praise. His main role in all of the stories seems to be to give David and Solomon whatever they need. The story in the passage above is the only one that records any disenchantment on his part.

I read these verses earlier today and then thought about them while exercising. While thinking bout them, my thoughts went to the residents of the 20 towns and the area between them that were given to Hiram. How did they feel about being traded like a commodity? How would I feel if Presidents Trump or Obama (not trying to be partisan here) just traded California or Texas to Mexico as part of a deal to get more building materials for the National Cathedral and the White House? I don’t think I would feel like my life was worth much.

Then I thought about the prosperity gospel preachers. How are those who were faithful to you and lived in those towns supposed to react to the trade?

Of course, the devaluation of human life continues on today. I think we lose sight of that as middle class (and upper class) Americans. Following your dreams and living your best life now simply isn’t an option for some people. There is still slavery that we don’t seem to be able to eradicate. There are the poor who are just scratching out a living. There are countless scenarios of people who have simply do not have the ability to be in charge of their destiny or make their lives “better.” What are they to do?

The more I spend time with you the deeper it sinks in that your reality is very different from the one my middle class American mind thinks should be. I talked with a friend recently about someone asking her about any big projects she’s working on as a writer. She said that she was just doing the assignments given to her by the different businesses who hire her to write each month, but she didn’t have some big thing she was working towards. I told her I thought that was okay. Sometimes when we try to force a big thing we get out ahead of you.

Father, speak to me today and every day and help me to both be content in the life in which you have me and ready to respond to your call should something come up that needs my attention. Be glorified through me, and help me to be an instrument of your peace to others. And like some of those who lived in the 20 towns Solomon gave to Hiram, help me to separate my expectations of my life from my worship of you. In other words, find me faithful regardless of my circumstances.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 10, 2019 in 1 Kings, Solomon

 

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Solomon — 1 Kings 9:1-9

09 Aug

So Solomon finished building the Temple of the Lord, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had done before at Gibeon. The Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have set this Temple apart to be holy—this place you have built where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart. “As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’ “But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled and will gasp in horror. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’ “And the answer will be, ‘Because his people abandoned the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why the Lord has brought all these disasters on them.’”
1 Kings 9:1-9

Dear God, why is it so hard to have children that follow in the parents’ spiritual footsteps? Perhaps it’s just the law of averages and it makes sense that it’s not a great percentage of parents who are devout followers of you have children who are as devout. David didn’t Solomon didn’t. Going back, Adam had Cain. Isaac had Jacob (scoundrel). Eli had his sons. Samuel had his sons.

I was at a Promise Keepers conference at the old Texas Stadium in Irving back in 1995 and I remember a guy giving an illustration. He had three chairs on the stage and he compared the first chair with the devout follower and worshiper of you. The second chair was for the person who is kind of a follower of you, and the third chair represented someone who didn’t follow you at all. He said that it is rare for a man in the first chair to have a son that sits in the first chair as well. Normally, that son sits in the second chair. Then that son’s son will likely end up sitting in the third chair. Why is it?

Maybe it’s because we can show our children what it looks like to have a life devoted to following you, but our decision to follow you only came after we had come to the end of ourselves. In the case of Solomon, how do you get the son of a king to come to the end of himself? In my case, I cannot do it for my Holstein. It has to happen for them.

I received a written prayer request at work today from a woman with a 20-year-old son. She is worried about him. She thinks he is isolated and depressed (which he probably is). I wrote to her telling her I would pray for her and her son. I’ll make my prayer for my own children and my wife and me my pray for this woman and her son as well.

Father, you know each of us. You have known us since before we were born. You have not only known me, but you have known my children too. You know them better than I know them. I know you have this thing about not overriding our free will, so I would never ask for that, but I will ask that you ordain a path for them to live the lives and become the people you want them to be. Help them to discover you in a new way. For those that are followers of you, help them to be completely washed in the Holy Spirit and guide them through the Spirit. Love them richly. Give them good soil in their hearts, and plant seeds that will grow. And for those who are still battling with the idea of submitting to you, give them a glimpse of just how good it feels to let go of the pain that is killing them and to cling to you. Help them to lay down their own burden and take up their cross and follow you. Use us as parents however you will, and use all of these situations to draw us closer to you as well.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 9, 2019 in 1 Kings, Solomon

 

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Solomon — 1 Kings 8:54-66

08 Aug

When Solomon finished making these prayers and petitions to the Lord, he stood up in front of the altar of the Lord , where he had been kneeling with his hands raised toward heaven. He stood and in a loud voice blessed the entire congregation of Israel: “Praise the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises he gave through his servant Moses. May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us. May he give us the desire to do his will in everything and to obey all the commands, decrees, and regulations that he gave our ancestors. And may these words that I have prayed in the presence of the Lord be before him constantly, day and night, so that the Lord our God may give justice to me and to his people Israel, according to each day’s needs. Then people all over the earth will know that the Lord alone is God and there is no other. And may you be completely faithful to the Lord our God. May you always obey his decrees and commands, just as you are doing today.” Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices to the Lord. Solomon offered to the Lord a peace offering of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And so the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the Temple of the Lord. That same day the king consecrated the central area of the courtyard in front of the Lord’s Temple. He offered burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of peace offerings there, because the bronze altar in the Lord ’s presence was too small to hold all the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings. Then Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters in the presence of the Lord our God. A large congregation had gathered from as far away as Lebo-hamath in the north and the Brook of Egypt in the south. The celebration went on for fourteen days in all—seven days for the dedication of the altar and seven days for the Festival of Shelters. After the festival was over, Solomon sent the people home. They blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad because the Lord had been good to his servant David and to his people Israel.
1 Kings 8:54-66

Dear God, okay, that was a bit of a diversion with “No Insult Like The Truth.” Now, it’s time to get back to looking at Solomon.

I think the thing that I think of most when I think of this speech to the Israelites this line: “And may you be completely faithful to the Lord our God.” If only we could live up to that line. If only I could be completely faithful to you. If only my family could be completely faithful to you. If only our church could be completely faithful to you. Our community. Our nation. Our world. What would that world look like? I guess that will be what heaven is like one day. Until then, it starts with me.

As we see more of Solomon’s story, we are going to see that even he was not capable of being completely faithful to you. Why is it so hard? Keeping your commands and decrees is good for me and to my benefit. Why do I fail to do it? I suppose that’s where my sin nature comes in. I start wanting to have immediate gratification instead of either 1.) delaying it or 2.) accepting that a particular gratification might never be mine to have.

Father, I’m sorry. I really am. Help me to see clearly which desires of my heart are not of you. Help me to accept the path you have for me to walk regardless of how much “happiness” it does or doesn’t bring me. Help me to discipline myself into being your servant. Help me to worship you like you deserve. Help me to be your ambassador to those around me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 8, 2019 in 1 Kings, Solomon

 

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Solomon — 1 Kings 1:38-40

07 Jul

So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king’s bodyguard took Solomon down to Gihon Spring, with Solomon riding on King David’s own mule. There Zadok the priest took the flask of olive oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon with the oil. Then they sounded the ram’s horn and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound.
1 Kings 1:38-40

Dear God, I wish we had more about Solomon’s relationships with Bathsheba, David, and all of the people involved with his ascent to the throne. One thing I’ve noticed in the telling of this story is that Adonijah was a self promoter while the author here had yet to tell us anything that Solomon has said on his own behalf. We won’t get a quote from him until he has to deal with Adonijah at the end of this chapter.

The other interesting thing is the the writer goes out of his way to tell us that Adonijah was spoiled and undisciplined. What kind of a mother was Bathsheba? I’m betting she disciplined her children. At least Solomon was thought enough of by Nathan, et. al., to be promoted and desired as the next king.

But back to the subtext of the fact that the author is careful to contrast Adonijah and Solomon by who they did and didn’t promote themselves. My dad told me one time when I was young that if I ever got a promotion at work, on my first day in the new job I would likely not see much difference in my future because I had already been doing those things. The message that I received in that was, “Work hard and let the reward come from the hard work.” In words my wife, the writer would use, “Show, don’t tell.”

Father, we are still a few chapters and executions away from Solomon asking you for wisdom, but I want to continue to seek that from you. Help me to simply serve you and then let your plan unfold around me. My biggest danger is allowing inaction and lethargy to keep me from what you’ve called me to do. So please make your call clear to me. I repent for the things I’ve done and the things I’ve failed to do.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 7, 2019 in 1 Kings, Solomon

 

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Solomon – 1 Kings 1:1-14

05 Jul

King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm. So his advisers told him, “Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm.” So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king. The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her. About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome. Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah. Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah. But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon. Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her, “Haven’t you heard that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn’t even know about it? If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice. Go at once to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, didn’t you make a vow and say to me, “Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said.”
1 Kings 1:1-14

Dear God, I think it is important to note that the story of Solomon cannot be told without including Nathan. Nathan is woven throughout Solomon’s (and Bathsheba’s) story. He is the prophet whom David consults about building the temple (2 Samuel 7). He is the prophet who rebukes David about what he did with Bathsheba and Uriah, and through you gave Solomon a new name–Jedidiah (2 Samuel 12). And now he is the prophet who orchestrates Solomon’s rise to the throne (1 Kings 1). Interestingly, these are the only three stories we get about Nathan.

I normally do these journals to you first thing in the morning, but as I opened the scriptures today I found myself with a lot of questions and researching a lot of things. First, I went to 1 Chronicles to see how it recorded the transition from David’s rule to Solomon’s. I was surprised to see a completely different portrait painted. The accounting of it in Chronicles was much tidier and more honorable. It really focused on David’s passing the torch to Solomon to build the temple. But I’ll talk about the temple another time. Today, I want to talk about Nathan.

I had a new thought today that I don’t think I’ve had before. Nathan apparently had a soft spot in his heart for Bathsheba and Solomon. I won’t say that he knew about David’s sin with Bathsheba before anyone else did. I’ll bet is was actually a pretty poorly kept secret. But he was the one willing to confront David. He was the one who spoke out on your behalf and on behalf of the woman. He watched her go through the loss of her child. He watched her give birth to Solomon. He got the word from you that Solomon was special and to be renamed Jedidiah (I wonder why that name didn’t stick–I searched the entire Bible, and 2 Samuel 12:25 is the only time it is ever mentioned).

Fast forward many years. David is at the end of his life and his fourth-born son, Adonijah (the first three are seemingly dead) starts to position himself for the throne. 1 Kings 1:6 seems to go out of its way to tell us that he wasn’t a good guy, but was spoiled and undisciplined. This apparently got Nathan’s attention and he decided it was time to act on behalf of the boy whom you had told him to rename and his mother.

Nathan probably doesn’t get enough love from history. Yes, the writer of Samuel and Kings gives us what we need to know about his role in things, but it’s almost too brief. I almost missed it. He was apparently a man who cared about your righteousness enough to speak truth to power and then risk his life to do what he perceived to be your will.

Father, make me a man of this kind of courage. Help me to know when to speak and when not to speak. Help me to know when to act and when not to act. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. But do it in reverse order of that prayer. Give me the wisdom to know when you are calling me to act, when you are calling me to not act but pray, and when you are calling me to accept a situation. Give me the courage to follow your call. And when it is time to accept your judgment and a situation about which I am to do nothing, fill me with your peace.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 5, 2019 in 1 Kings, 2 Samuel, Solomon

 

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Solomon – 2 Samuel 12:13-25

04 Jul

Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.” After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah’s wife. David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused. Then on the seventh day the child died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?” When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate. His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.” David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.” Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord ”), as the Lord had commanded.
2 Samuel 12:13-25

Dear God, after yesterday’s prayer journal to you, I want to spend some time with Solomon. When I said his name to my wife this morning, she quoted the musical Hamilton and said, “Have it all lose it all.” But he never really lost everything. He just let evil take him over and became awful. I want to see if I can trace it and what I can learn from his life.

And so I am starting with his conception and birth. Born from the sin of David taking Bathsheba and killing her husband Uriah, if David had done things the right way then Solomon should never have been here. After I read this story this morning the thought occurred to me that I can see where people start to build a case for predestination. None of this should have happened, but it did and history took a turn.

I like the little detail in this story that David was comforting Bathsheba. We don’t often think about what this woman went through. She was, at best, taken by the king, or, at worst, raped by him. Then she got pregnant. Then her husband was killed. And then she lost the child. What a horrifying and overwhelming 12 months this must have been for her. Did she even want this new life? We just never spend any time thinking about her in this. We just think about David’s sin and his repentance (see Psalm 51).

So Solomon was born from a union that should never have been and an act of comfort for a distraught woman who had lost so much. Do you predestine things, or do you redeem them? I choose to think you redeem them. Knowing Solomon’s origin story also gives me the peace to know that you have made your plans beyond what my own sin affects, both the things I do and the things I fail to do.

I guess one thing I should add is that I am here today by your will. On paper, my parents should not have married. My mother was divorced. Should she have stayed with her first husband (I don’t think so). My dad chose her against his parents’ wishes. And yet here I am. I’m no Solomon, but I certainly owe my life to you. And my own son is here only because of a miscarriage before him. If that pregnancy hadn’t ended early he wouldn’t be here.

Father, help me to honor you today. You knew me before I was born. I am grateful for my knowledge of you and the opportunity to worship you, even as a Gentile. Please forgive me for the things I do and the things I fail to do. Redeem every action I take and bring glory to yourself through me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 4, 2019 in 1 Kings, Solomon

 

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Ecclesiastes 4:4-6

21 Jun

4 Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

5 “Fools fold their idle hands,
leading them to ruin.”

6 And yet,

“Better to have one handful with quietness
than two handfuls with hard work
and chasing the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 4:4-6

Dear God, this kind of follows up on yesterday’s prayer. I heard it in an Andy Stanley sermon I listened to while I was on a bike ride last night. I wonder at what point Solomon emerged from this wisdom of pitying the oppressed and into being an oppressor. I was watching an interview with a movie star this morning and she mentioned that she had won her first major award at 26. She was young and pretty. But then, as she put it, people started to “remove obstacles” from her and she began to take advantage of being a star. Her father sat down with her at one point and told her, you’re becoming an ***hole. She said that she is now a believer in all of our need to have obstacles in front of us. It seems to me that she might be right in that the removal of obstacles from Solomon’s life became a detriment to the wisest man who ever lived.

All of that being said, there is a great message in these verses. When my drive for success is motivated by jealousy of and competition with others, then I will absolutely be chasing the wind. As Andy Stanley put it in the sermon, someone will always have an “er” over me. They will be smart-er, cut-er, rich-er, happi-er. They will have more successful children, better jobs, prettier homes, more fulfilling marriages, or whatever. I can’t chase them all. Better to focus on you and your call to me while ignoring all others. Following your call is the best way to find my contentment. Chasing the perceived success of someone else will only lead to exhaustion and emptiness.

Father, help me to be peacefully quiet. Help me to embrace all that you have for me today. Help me to bless others for their success and to care more about their peace and contentment than I do what they have that I don’t have. Help me to be an instrument of your peace in their lives.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 21, 2019 in Ecclesiastes

 

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