RTW June 5

Clearly Instructed

The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway.
1 Kings 11:2

 

 

 

 

My Takeaways

Something Old

After having it all, Solomon determines everything is meaningless.

Something New

Solomon wanted to love many women more than following God.

Insist: to be emphatic, firm, or resolute on some matter of desire, demand, intention,

What have I insisted on having that God prohibits?

Nothing – no pleasure – or anything that “seems” harmless is worth jeopardizing my relationship with God. His laws, “rules”, and boundaries are place for my good. Either I believe this or not.

And what is good for another might not be good for me.

Insisting on what I want, will turn my heart from God.

What do I want more than God?

Something to Do

Just do what I’m told.

 

 

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10 Comments

  1. This message hit home allright… I have been wanting something which God clearly didn’t destined to be mine. It had something to do with the love of a person. I got misled into thinking that my marriage was not working anymore so that it was only normal and logical to have feelings for someone else. I knew God always wants us to fight for our marriages. I knew that having an affair is really not under the blessing of God but I chose to do it anyways. Telling myself that something that feels so good and real cannot be wrong. Telling myself even that God must have sent this person my way because the connection we had was so extra-ordinary… Long story short… I drifted away further and further from God, getting into behaviours I never thought myself capable of, ever… drifting further and further away from the person of integrity God created me to be. I justified everything that what I was feeling was pure love for this one person. I didn’t realise I made this person my idol. An idol to turn to when my life got out of sorts instead of turning to the Only One that could have really helped me… I know now that there were signs before. A lesson from a few days back tells us what could happen if you neglect to weed your flowerbeds. Well, that was the case what led to my destruction. It got so bad that I in the end felt like walking away from my family and even my life because I felt so embarrassed, ashamed and guilty. I felt that I could never ever make up for my failures again and that I had no right to enter church anymore because of the things I was doing. I got isolated and in the end I had to be admitted to a psychiatric clinic because I was about to take my life. It got that bad. But in the end it appeared to be a blessing. I had to stay for three months. My husband who had every right in my eyes to let me go was very supportive and caring, even though I hurt him deeply with my actions. We decided to start anew. I recommitted my life to God. In the clinic I picked up my Bible again and started reading. All of a sudden words started to speak to me again and God showed his mercy by working on me through His Word and my therapist and other people that guided me in that difficult period. My husband and me are very grateful that we are still together. We are still working through all that happened but we have grown closer together than ever and we are more sure than ever that we belong together. I know by experience what happens if you turn your heart away from God and how easy it is to be misled, especially when you feel you are safe and nothing can harm you. These are the times that I have to be on guard the most. I know now that I have to stay on it and in it. Never ever stray from my connection with God again. The moment I stopped fighting and the moment I surrendered he was there for me and raised me out of the very dark pit I was in…. So thank you for this lesson Wendy and thank you all for letting me share here… Wishing all of you a wonderful blessed day!!

    2. What a testimony of God’s goodness! So glad you are back on track! He will never leave you or forsake you.

    4. what an amazing testimony. You are beautifully courageous. Thank you for being so vulnerable.

    5. Hi Saskia,
      It’s good to hear from you on here again. I rarely post but read all the comments. I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your courage and honesty. Thanks for sharing with us.
      Barbara

    6. Marriage is hard. Glad your husband is supportive and that you came back! Thanks for sharing.

  2. I got a few days behind last week and was reading May 28th reading after I had read today’s reading. In Proberbs 5 It is all about staying away from promiscuous women and the consequences of one didn’t. So much of them lined up with what Solomon faced in today’s reading. Cool to see that connection and the reminder that following God is the only way to live!

  3. Something Old:
    God appeared to Solomon 2 times and gave him great wisdom. Yet Solomon disobeyed God and married many foreign women and worshiped other gods, leading to the downfall of his kingdom. This shows me how easy it can be to fall into sin.

    Something New:
    Jeroboam was not in the kingly line. However, God promises to always be with him and establish an enduring dynasty for him, IF he listens to God, follows God’s ways, and obeys God’s decrees and commands. This speaks to me of the fact that God doesn’t show favoritism. His blessings are for all who follow Him.

    Something To Do:
    -Follow the Lord completely. Easier said than done!
    -I can have relationships with those in the world but need to be on guard not to become unequally yoked with them. They can quickly lead me astray.
    -Keep the last verse of Ecclesiastes in mind while reading the whole book.

  4. What struck me was Kings 11:34,38. Ahijah gives Jeroboam the son of Negat, an Ephraimite (of Joseph’s line) the opportunity to have most of the kingdom of Israel IF:
    vs 38 Then it will be, that IF you listen to all that I (God) command you and walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight by observing My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build you an enduring house as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.
    By obeying God it would have meant Jeroboam and the 10 tribes of Israel would have had to go to Jerusalem three times a year for the required festivals, going right into the tribe of Judah to the Temple. Jeroboam did not trust God to make this happen for him and so he went up to the land of Dan and built and alter with steps (forbidden) and a golden calf for the people to worship.
    What has God promised to us, to me, if I am faithful to what He has told me to do, even though it is very hard, or I have a laundry list of “do You realize what this would mean if I do this?'”
    Look again what God promised to him; and we have Holy Spirit to help us.

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