The Daily Word: Sunday, June 13th, 2021
1 Kings 11:1-12:19
Acts 9:1-25
Psalm 131:1-3
Proverbs 17:4-5
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. – 1 Kings 11:3
Solomon was the wisest king to ever walk the earth! But his “wives turned away his heart” from God. But turning away from God wasn’t his wives’ fault! It was his fault.
Solomon had everything a man could ever want. He was so wise that “all the earth sought [his] presence…to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart” (1 Kings 10:24). He was so rich that everything in his household was made of gold! In fact, God made precious metals so abundant in Israel during Solomon’s reign that silver was “accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon” (1 Kings 10:21). Solomon had peace from all his enemies: his military strength was so great that Israel had “rest on every side; there [was] neither adversary nor evil occurrence” (1 Kings 5:4). What more could a man ever want?
But here was Solomon’s problem: because he had all his needs met, he lost focus. He forgot about God! He forsook the One who had blessed him so abundantly. And Solomon’s temptation is our temptation too! When things are going poorly, we cling to God. We seek Him for everything, every day! But when things are going well, we forget about Him. We get bored! When there is nothing we desperately need – no seemingly impossible challenge to be met – our reaction should be to passionately pursue the Lord with our newfound freedom. But instead, we often get lost because we don’t think we need Him like we used to.
When God gives you everything you have ever prayed for, will you forget about Him? Or will you cling to Him like never before?
Prayer:
Father, I am certainly not wiser than Solomon. And that means I’m susceptible. I’m at risk of forgetting You! Help me never to forget You: all that You are, and all that You’ve done for me. Help me to always and only worship You, in Jesus’ name!
© Michael D. White, 2021. All rights reserved.