1 Kings 9:1 When Solomon has finished building the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and he had achieved all he had desired to do….
I’ve always said that I would not want to win the lottery as unlimited money would give me nothing to dream about and work for. (For the record, I don’t play the lottery, so there was no danger of it.) I was reminded of that thought reading today’s scripture. Solomon “has achieved all he had desired to do.” Can you imagine? I bet that is at once exhilarating and terrifying. My biggest dreams have been accomplished. How amazing. Wait!! What do I do now?!?
1 Kings 9:2 …the LORD appeared to him a second time, as He appeared to him at Gideon.
And suddenly I am reminded of yesterday’s scripture, of the fact that God wants us to dream big, and He can help us dream big. If we allow Him, if we seek His will, He will show us His dreams for us, which are so much bigger than we could ever imagine. And knowing my precious Savior, I feel like His dreams for us as individuals are interwoven with His dreams for all His people. By seeking the big dreams He has for us, we are seeking to better love one another as He loves us.
1 Kings 9:4 “As for you, if you walk before Me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe My decrees and laws….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the caution that when we achieve our dreams for ourselves, we need to seek Your dreams for us or we risk floundering in life and turning from You. Help us to seek You always. Draw us closer. Amen.
1 Kings 9:5 “…I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever….”
Have a blessed day.
Teach me to dream big…. (devo reflection)
1 Kings 8:24 “You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with Your mouth You have promised and with Your hand You have fulfilled it….”
God keeps His promises—not always in the time frame we want, not always in the way that we hope or imagine, but He is steadfast and true, and He ALWAYS keeps His promises. When life feels overwhelming and exhausting and I’m having trouble finding solid footing, it is helpful to look at all the promises He has faithfully fulfilled. I know He’s got me, no matter how tenuous life feels.
1 Kings 8:25a “Now LORD, the God of Israel, keep for Your servant David my father the promises You made to him when You said….”
I’ve heard before that God wants us to come to Him with big prayers, to trust that He has big things in store for us. After all, that’s where faith comes in, right? If I limit my hopes and dreams to what I can accomplish in my own strength, I do not grow any closer to God in the process, I do not get to watch Him do amazing things, I do not come to depend on Him even more because I know He is able.
1 Kings 8:25b …”‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before Me faithfully as you have done.’”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Teach me to dream big and to come to You with hopes and dreams that are bigger than I can accomplish on my own. Help me be ever mindful of Your faithfulness. Help me to draw closer to You with every breath. Know my heart and help me continue to seek to know Your heart better every day. Amen.
1 Kings 8:39 …for You alone know every human heart….
Have a blessed day.
Proper perspective…. (devo reflection)
1 Kings 6:38 …[Solomon] had spent seven years building [the temple of the LORD].
At the end of chapter 6, seven years building the temple of the Lord sounds pretty impressive. But the first verse of chapter 7 puts that time in its proper perspective. Solomon spent seven years building God’s house but thirteen years building him own. That seems a bit problematic. Shouldn’t the greater time have been spent building God’s house?
1 Kings 7:1 It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.
There has been enough mention of Solomon’s reign to know that he does not have the same heart for God that his father did. And the expense and time put into his palace certainly seems to indicate that he values his house over God’s. This seems to be a slippery slope away from God he is embarking on. I wonder if he saw the danger.
1 Kings 7:9 All these structures, from outside to the great courtyard and from foundation to waves, were made of blocks of high-grade stone cut to size and smoothed on their inner and outer faces.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the ability to understand what Solomon’s actions say about his priorities. Help me to have the same clarity when it comes to my own actions and priorities. Draw me closer. Help me to keep my eyes and heart focused on You. Amen.
1 Kings 7:10 The foundations were laid with large stones of good quality….
Have a blessed day.
If I seek Him…. (devo reflection)
1 Kings 6:11 The word of the LORD came to Solomon….
This chapter is all about building God’s temple, which has me thinking about churches and dwelling places for God. I’ve seen gorgeous, elaborate cathedrals. I’ve seen modern structures, filled with clean lines and modern elements. I’ve seen tiny structures with pews and stained glass, though the cathedrals make them seem almost microscopic.
1 Kings 6:12 “As for this temple you are building, if you follow My decrees, observe My laws, and keep all My commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father.”
God’s house can come in many shapes and sizes. Since mid-March, God’s house has literally been my own as I tune in via Facebook Live for Sunday services. But I have found Jeremiah 29:13 to be exceptionally true: “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” No matter the place—my den, a mountain top, in the middle of the slogging rain, if I seek Him, He is there. Thank You, Jesus.
1 Kings 6:13 “And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon My people Israel.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for amazingly beautiful houses of worship. And thank You for slogging with us through the muck. Thank You for being there when we seek You. Help us to seek You always, every hour of every day. Draw us closer. Amen.
1 Kings 6:38 In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it.
Have a blessed day.
Metaphorical building…. (devo reflection)
1 Kings 5:3 “You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet.”
Today’s chapter gives me much to think about. David’s battles paved the way for Solomon’s work building the temple for the Name of the LORD his God. David’s battles laid the foundation of peace needed for such a task. The building could not have happened had the battles not been fought and won.
1 Kings 5:4 “But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster.”
I’ve often felt like God uses the difficult times in life to draw me closer, but I’ve never thought of it as a parallel like this before. The hardships happen to draw me closer to God, but is there a larger purpose? Is there metaphorical building He intends for me to do in His name as a result of the battles He has won? After all, this life is not about me. It’s about my precious Savior.
1 Kings 5:5a “I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for this interesting parallel that I see this morning, that perhaps You draw me closer in hardship not simply for my good but for Your glory. Put in those terms, it makes perfect sense that You draw me closer to strengthen me for what You are calling me to do for You and in Your name. Give me strength, wisdom, and discernment to do Your will. Draw me closer. Always. Amen.
1 Kings 5:5b “…when He said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for My Name.’”
Have a blessed day.
Wisdom and very great insight…. (devo reflection)
1 Kings 4:29a God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight….
Solomon asked God for wisdom and discernment, and it looks like God granted these to him abundantly, but commentary on this chapter keeps alluding to things to come and the fact that, though Solomon certainly appears wiser than his father, his relationship with God is not even close. All this wisdom, and Solomon isn’t wise enough to see that he must stay connected to and totally centered on God.
1 Kings 4:29b …and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.
Again I find myself wanting to judge. How can he be so wise and not see the source of his strength? How can he not understand that worldly wisdom is nothing if we aren’t grounded in God? But I know, even as I point my accusing finger, that I am just as guilty of allowing myself to be distracted by the world, of taking my eyes off of Jesus. Even though I have carved out daily time with my Savior for years, I know once I leave my recliner that if I don’t make a concerted effort to be mindful of Him, I will get distracted.
1 Kings 4:30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that I have to be consistent and diligent in my relationship with You because the world is waiting to distract me. Help me to see the world through Your eyes, with Your wisdom and discernment. Draw me closer. Help me center myself on You. Always. Amen.
1 Kings 4:31 He was wiser than anyone else….
Have a blessed day.
A discerning heart…. (devo reflection)
1 Kings 3:5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want Me to give you.”
I no longer remember the circumstances of the first time I read these verses, but the impact has stayed with me for many years. I shared recently that one of my go-to verses is the King James Translation of Acts 9:6, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” The heart of this verse is the same as Solomon’s reply to 1 Kings 3:5. Both ask for God’s discernment in moving forward.
1 Kings 3:9 “…give Your servant a discerning heart to govern Your people and to distinguish between right and wrong….”
I am so far from perfect at seeking and following His discernment, but I’m getting better. I know without a doubt that if I DON’T seek His will, His discernment, I am much more prone to act in my own best interest, which is my human, fleshly side at work. When I seek His will and discernment for my life, it’s not about me. It’s about Him. And that’s the way it should be.
1 Kings 3:10 The LORD was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for allowing us to seek, ask, and knock (Matt 7:7) and for always responding when we seek You. Thank You that I am a smidge more adept now at listening and discerning Your will. Help me to get better at discernment daily. Help me to seek You always. Help me to listen and obey. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Kings 3:11-12 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have you asked for the death of your enemies…, I will do what you have asked….”
Have a blessed day.
He will provide…. (devo reflection)
1 Kings 2:2-3a “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” [David] said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires….”
This chapter covers the death of David through the establishing of Solomon’s reign. And I am struck, after all David’s missteps in life, by how confidently he approaches death. He knows he’s made peace with God. When it feels like my constant missteps put me too far outside of God’s grace to ever find my way back, may I remember that God knows my heart, and may I be encouraged.
1 Kings 2:3b Walk in obedience to Him, and keep His decrees and commands, His laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses….”
David’s advice to Solomon echos the importance of centering himself on God. David tells Solomon to seek God, to walk with God, to obey God. We are given the same advice by Jesus in Matthew 6:32-33. God knows our needs. If we seek Him “…above all else, and live righteously, …He will give…” us everything we need. Seek God, walk with God, obey God, and He will provide.
1 Kings 2:3c-4a “Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go and that the LORD may keep His promise to me….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that we don’t have to be perfect, we just need to seek You with all that we are. Thank You for the ability to find hope and grace in Your word. Help me to stay focused on You always. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Kings 2:4b “‘…If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’”
Have a blessed day.
Running ahead…. (devo reflection)
1 Kings 1:5 Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” …
One of my go-to verses is the King James Translation of Acts 9:6, which reads in part, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” But reading 1 Kings 1 today has reminded me that just like Adonijah, I get caught up in my own plans so incredibly easily.
1 Kings 1:6 (His father had never rebuked him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)
Lord, Forgive me for running ahead of You, for failing to seek Your will when I see something that feels like it should be mine. Help me always to seek Your will first, Lord, and no matter the opportunity, if it is not from You, help me to let it go, focusing on Your will for my life and not my own.
1 Kings 1:7 Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for loving me enough to show me that my own willfulness still needs to be addressed. Help me always to seek Your will and Your way and not my own. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Kings 1:8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Rei and David’s special guard did not join Adonijah.
Have a blessed day.
More valuable because of what’s invested…. (devo reflection)
2 Samuel 24:20 When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.
Once again, David has messed up. He fleshly humanity is showing. And, eventually, he realizes his error and turns back to God. The verses below are the final step in his reconciliation to God. He wants to buy Araunah’s threshing floor and build an alter to the LORD. Araunah has a generous spirit and tells the king to take it and offer it up, no payment necessary. But David understands that his sacrifice must cost him something for it to be truly meaningful.
2 Samuel 24:21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” “To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an alter to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”
Isn’t that the way with so many things? For them to be truly meaningful, they have to cost us something. There are many things in life that fit the bill—training for a half marathon, earning an advanced degree or certification, having a positive marriage, raising children, drawing closer to my Savior. They all cost me something. I have to sacrifice something—time, effort, pride, love, sleep—in order to attain these goals, which makes them more valuable because of what’s invested.
2 Samuel 24:22-23 Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up….Your Majesty, Araunah gives all this to the king.” …
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the understanding that for things to be truly meaningful, they have to cost us something. Help me to invest time and effort into my relationship with You. Draw me closer. Amen.
2 Samuel 24:24 But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”
Have a blessed day.