How had Solomon fallen so far?

10Sep
See, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and will give you ten tribes. One tribe will remain his, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen along with other tribes of Israel. This is because he has forsaken me, worshiped [other gods] . . . and has not walked in my ways doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statues and my ordinances, as his father David did. 
-I Kings 11:31-33


How had Solomon fallen so far? He showed such early promise. He sought from the Lord neither earthly wealth or military glory, but rather wisdom and understanding. He built a glorious Temple, containing the Ark of the Covenant, for the Lord God. 

And then slowly he began to disobey – first with many concubines and wives from foreign lands, then worshiping their gods and finally, squabbling with claimants to the throne until he was completely entrapped in age-old tribal conflicts. Maybe as Solomon grew older, he became frightened of this decline, and so he simply fell into spiritual, and moral, collapse.


And how does this tragedy and pain speak to me thousands of years later? Is it simply to find parallel moments of our fallen great leaders in history past and present? Or is there a more personal message here? Is life for each of us merely ebb and flow until the end of time? And are we doomed to repeat the same mistakes of seeking power over our own lives and too often also those of others? If so, where is the comfort?

The simple yet earth-shattering answer is to be found in our Lord Jesus Christ who came to save us, suffered for our sins, was crucified and buried, and rose again to keep us from eternal damnation. That profound belief brings enormous comfort during prayer, but how do I live each day, knowing that I am coming closer with every breath to my own “end time”? In the hospital as my heart beats more rapidly than normal, how do I withstand the fear? As summer merges into fall, as the leaves wither and die once more, I fear my own life is starting to dwindle down. 


Yet unlike Solomon, I have Jesus in the Holy Spirit close inside and outside me to bring me daily comfort in this unstoppable life process and to hopefully make me focus on others before self. And how do I truly know this? I feel it in the quick hug of a friend; the naturally glorious smile of a grandchild; and the momentary touch of a hand opening a door and beckoning me inside. In these precious moments, I breathe in a prayer and then joy.

Musical Reflection - There's Just Something About That Name | Legacy Prayer Room Ft. Brian Nhira


Gracious God, never let me forget the dust from whence I came and to which I shall return. In the meantime, Lord, with Your guidance help me, unlike Solomon, find the transformative power of Your life in each of us and use it for good. Amen.

Leadership

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