Who is on the throne of my heart?

 

Every morning before reading the Bible I spend time singing. My voice is not great but the lyrics are prayers as well as worship. One song today is fairly new to me: “Oh give me rest from Self” with verses like: “This cruel self, oh, how it strives and works within my breast, to come between Thee and my soul, and keep me back from rest.”

Today’s devotional reading says the same thing! It describes how most people think they are the greatest or the most important people in the universe with lives made up of endless variations on the word “me.” I know that problem. While the Bible is clear that my old self died with Christ and is separated from God, the desire to be the center of everything, or fulfill my dreams, or share my views and wisdom, or get others to follow my ideas, blah, blah, blah. I enjoy people but am content to be alone, which does not help this battle with self. What I know is mostly related to myself.

The reading quotes Solomon’s battle with self-made happiness. He said in his heart:

“Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:1–11)

In these verses, the word “I” is repeated more than a dozen times, yet at the end of his efforts, he realized that self rule did not profit him nor did it help anyone else. It was a waste of time and energy, a waste of his life.

Jesus  was not that way. He could pray, “Not my will but thine be done” because self was not the center of His universe — the souls of sinners were more important, and the will of His Father was at the top of the list. He spent all of His waking hours doing what God wanted Him to do — be with needy people, teaching them and being gracious unto them. His life was spent to redeem unworthy sinners such as me.

This makes Jesus the most important person in the universe. Without His grace, I would not even be alive and breathing, never mind forgiven and on my way to endless life with Him. He loves, heals, perseveres, is ever-present, all wise, full of grace and truth. To be like Him is to put the will of God front and center, knowing that my old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that I would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6)

PRAY: Keep my focus on You, Lord. It is too easy to consider my ideas and plans, even get annoyed if You bring interruptions to what I’m doing. How vain. Forgive my lapses into self-rule and enable continual trust in You, with all my heart and soul by Your grace, for You are the center of everything.

Mixing Faith and Politics?

 

READ 1 Kings 1–5

Only some of this reading relates to some activities in modern politics. David is dying and Absalom’s brother Adonijah decides he will be the next king. He finds supporters and declares it without the support of his father or inviting his father’s supporters to his celebration. However, David was told of this scheme and appointed his son the next king. He was installed to office.

Adonijah fled to the tabernacle and held to the horns of the altar, hoping for leniency. At that, Solomon said: “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” (1 Kings 1:50–52) This showed Solomon’s desire for justice yet his mercy, a trait rarely seen these days.

David charged Solomon to be wise, a strong man who obeyed the Lord, walked in his ways and keeps his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies that he would “prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word” to establish his throne.

David also told this new king to deal wisely with Joab, for he had killed the two commanders of Israel’s army, Abner and Amasa. However, he was to be loyal to those who helped him, and again wise with those who did not. (2:2–9) Later, Adonijah brashly asked for the woman who cared for his father to be his wife. King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life!” (2:21–23) He also dealt with Joab and Shimei who harmed David. At that, “the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.” (2:44–46)

In our world, the leaders of some nations still put their opposition to death. If not, they work hard to discredit them so they will never be a threat. However, this is motivated by fear, greed, a hunger for power, not the will of God. Few leaders, if any, do what Solomon did next; he prayed for an understanding mind:

And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” (3:7–9)

God was pleased. He responded with an answer rarely experienced by modern politicians:

“Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” (3:10–14)

Solomon’s God-given wisdom showed up when two women came to him in a dispute over a live child and a dead one. His decision brought awe to the people when they “perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.” (3:16–28)

Solomon also appointed many officials to assist his leadership; he was not a DIY king. Then “Judah and Israel lived in safety . . . all the days of Solomon” because “God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.” (4:25–30)

He was not only wise in leadership. He spoke 3,000 proverbs, wrote 1005 songs, knew about trees, animals, birds, reptiles and fish. “People of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon . . . .” (4:32–34)

One of those was Hiram the king of Tyre who said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.” He offered all the timber needed to build the temple in exchange for food for his household. And Solomon’s builders, Hiram’s builders and others “did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house.” (1 Kings 5:18)

Today, such cooperation between nations sometimes happens, but not to build anything that involves worshiping God. This story gives me fodder for prayer as I intercede for political leaders and the needs in our world for wisdom, justice and peace. These things are available from the Lord — if only the need is recognized and God is honored in the asking. Lord, change hearts and grant grace to our ‘kings’ and their supporters.