November 19th, 2015
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

To Woo, Then To Wit

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Father, You know better than I do what I will face today. I need Your courage and direction.

Read 1 KINGS 3:1-15

[1] Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. [2] The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the LORD. [3] Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. [4] The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. [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.” [6] Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. [7] “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. [8] Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. [9] So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” [10] The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. [11] So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, [12] I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. [13] Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for-both wealth and honor-so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. [14] And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” [15] Then Solomon awoke-and he realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

“Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee. Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise” (Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-1879). It is so easy to sing far beyond our heart’s intention!

Think Further

Some people are renowned for saying one thing and meaning another. “That’s an interesting thought” often means “I disagree,” while “that is quite good” often means “it is pretty awful.” The writer of Kings would fit in with that pattern because his work is also full of ambiguities. It cannot be an accident that we are told, “Solomon showed his love for the Lord” by following David’s instructions (3), immediately after the account of his alliance with Egypt and his marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter. Eyebrows are intended to be raised! How valid was Solomon’s commitment? His dream tells us that his intentions really were good–he wanted to be able to “distinguish between right and wrong” (9). God’s granting of this wish is presented as a blessing, but it also provides a challenge.

As we read the continuing story and assess how far Solomon’s actions were right or wrong, there can be no excuse of “but he didn’t realize the implications.” This section tells us that he knew exactly what he was doing. Again, the extra gifts of wealth and honor are in one sense a blessing, but they are also the things that are most likely to lead one astray. Was Solomon’s wisdom going to be enough to help him resist the temptations that wealth and power bring?

A newspaper article this week pointed out the paradox of students who sit in the classroom ardently discussing the equality and worth of all humans and then treat the college janitors like dirt. The older I get the harder I find it to sing songs that include words like “I surrender all” and “I give you all of my life.” I’m only too aware that the intention and the reality of my commitment are not always the same thing. We all have a lot to learn from the story of Solomon.

Apply

How does God’s direction come to you–from Scripture, through a friend, a special “appearance” from God, Holy Spirit conviction?

Closing prayer

Lord, please give me the wisdom to know what is right and the commitment to actually do it.

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