Do You Need To 'Spring Clean' Your Heart?

1 Kings 15: 11-14 -  Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord, as his father David had done.  He put away the male temple prostitutes out of the land, and removed all the idols that his ancestors had made.  He also removed his mother Maacah from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for Asherah; Asa cut down her image and burned it at the Wadi Kidron.  But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was true to the Lord all his days.

 

Israel and Judah stayed separated for some time…and many kings took their turn on the two thrones to rule the people. In just this chapter…five different kings are described between the two nations.  Four of those kings were evil…continuing the pattern of the king before them…but Asa brought a breath of revival to Judah.

 

Asa cleaned house of all the evil influences in his land….he even demoted his own mother from being queen because she tried to dedicate a graven image to asherah. Every idol was destroyed…every male prostitute was driven out…because Asa knew that God would not be pleased with him if he left them in his life.

 

It’s amazing to me how Asa knew how to please God. No teacher…or praying mother…or friend is mentioned in this story that might have taught him...so he must have taught himself. He must have studied his ancestor David…and let God open up his heart to understand how all those idols had changed the people’s hearts.

 

Asa did not have the full word as we know it today.  He only had the words of Moses and Joshua...a few of David’s songs…..and a few of the prophets up to that time.  But it was enough….for him to realize the other kings beside David had done it wrong….and he needed to clean house…keeping his heart true to the Lord as long as he lived. Perhaps it was David’s Psalm 24:4…that began his journey with God…it says…. “The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.”

 

I have no excuses….for I have the whole Bible…and a savior who loved me enough to die on a cross for my sins.  I have verses like Matthew 5:8 that say… “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”   And I have the great words of Paul from Romans13:13-14….”Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

 

Father…thank you for recording the great courage and heart of Asa….and reminding me this morning that I need to stay pure in heart.  Help me clean house today in my heart.  Vacuum all the stuff right out of my heart that does not belong…that binds me to the world and its pleasures.  Dust the chambers that have collected dust and are not showing your love to others.  Wash the windows of each part of my heart so your light can shine through to others. Help me to ‘Spring Clean’ my heart…so it will be ready to do the work you have planned for it to do. Amen

What Selfish Choices Have You Made?

1 Kings 14: 8-9….and22 -   I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes.  You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have provoked me to anger and thrust me behind your back.

…. Judah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealous anger more than their fathers had done.

 

Rehoboam and Jeroboam … were given a choice to rule the kingdom they were given with God’s commands….to love God and follow his ways and have a blessed and prosperous life. But both of them went their own selfish way…and ended up leading many people into practices that made God furious. They Both died with no real legacy of God to leave the two sons that took the thrones after them.

 

The fighting they did with each other did no one any good….except satan.  He must have been pretty pleased with himself…all that idol worship….all those shrines built to common men…male temple prostitutes…obelisks built to honor every god except Yahweh.  Crime settled in where prosperity would have ruled and most of the gold Solomon had collected was taken by the king of Egypt.

 

Reminds me of the world I live in.  Crime is at an all-time high….you can’t turn on the news or read a paper without reading about a murder or robbery somewhere. Men and women still sell their bodies for food...drugs…or rent money.  Satan has even convinced many to worship the material things in our world …many thinking that money is the only prosperity that exists.

 

But I know that God is working in someone’s heart as I write….helping them to understand the hold satan has on those of us that still live here on Earth.  It is easier than you think to go the way of Rehoboam or Jeroboam…..getting caught up in our own selfish desires...instead of waking each morning and visiting with God…and asking him what we should do that day. I sure don’t want God angry at me…life is hard enough as it is.

 

Father….I thank you for this story that reminds me to spend more time with you…allowing your love to seep into my soul and help me make choices that will honor and advance your kingdom.  Help me today to find ways to purge my life of any idol that still holds me back from the pure love that you offer us after we have confessed all our sins.  Help me to find you so that you will be pleased and not angry at me.  Amen.

What Will Make You Believe?

1 kings 13:1-4 -  And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel:  and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.    And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD;  Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name;  and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.    And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken;  Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.    And it came to pass,

 

Jeroboam continued to turn away from God…offering sacrifices to the idols he had built…never even considering the consequences of the decisions he had made. So God sent a prophet…to tell him he had future plans to reinstate a king from David’s family line…and all the priests that he had appointed to serve him would die on this very altar.  He even gave Jeroboam a sign to verify his words as being from God….the splitting of the altar…so that the ashes on it would be poured out. 

 

Jeroboam was crazy angry...and grabbed the prophet’s arm…only to find his own arm paralyzed in that same moment.  The altar beside him split…and ashes poured out on the floor where they were standing….and out of fear for his own life he called out to the prophet to ask God to restore it…and God did. He ask the man to come dine with him…but he declined the invitation…God had told him to go deliver his message and come home another way…with no food or water till he returned.

 

Jeroboam must have been one cold fellow. It is so inconceivable to me that witnessing this moment would not have changed his heart…but he went right back to business as usual.  He continued to worship these idols…and appoint new priests from any tribe….forgetting God’s words that all priests should come from the tribe of Levi.

 

I guess that is why the world is in such bad shape. We have more Jeroboam’s in the world than we do Noah’s or Moses’s.  I am sure as I write this that most of us have had one of these crazy moments with God...where he reveals to us the error of our ways...and calls us to follow him...and change our lives. Some of us listen…the pure holiness of meeting God lights a passion in our soul to do what he asks us.  But others just go back to our old ways….cold…thinking selfishly like Jeroboam that the world was made just for us…and we can do as we please.

 

Father…thank you for this story that reminds me to let the things you allow in my life to teach me more about who you are and what you need me to do while I am here on Earth. Help me to recognize those moments form you that are sent just to wake me up….and warm up my cold selfish heart.  Help me be a Noah….or a Moses…and listen to your words…and make them a fire in my own heart to do your work…whatever it is you have called me to do.  Amen.

Our Choices Should Foster Peace

1 Kings 12:16-19 - And when all Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them, the people answered the king, "What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David." So Israel departed to their tents.  But Rehobo'am reigned over the people of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.  Then King Rehobo'am sent Ador'am, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehobo'am made haste to mount his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.  So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.  

 

 

The days of Rehoboam and Jeroboam were harsh and unkind.  The tribe of Judah remained loyal to David and his son Rehoboam….but the rest of Israel followed Jeroboam right out of town. They were both selfish and harsh rulers….listening to the counsel of those who matched their mood at the time…..and neither consulted God in the matters of their kingdoms.  Neither of the split groups of Israelites flourished….or kept God in their lives. 

 

 

Rehoboam unwisely shook off the wisdom of the older men in his father’s house. They told him how to achieve peace…but he chose the counsel of his younger friends instead.  And Jeroboam was no better a ruler…for he was so scared that the people would leave him…. that he erected new idols for them to worship at strategic places meant to keep them out of Jerusalem. The selfish attitudes of these men split the nation of Israel….and caused many to turn from God and worship nothing but idols.

 

 

Rehoboam and jeroboam were not the first people to ignore the wise counsel given by God.  Eve… Adam… Lot’s wife… David…. Solomon… Moses…. they all made mistakes because they listened to the tricky voice of satan…and followed his advice instead of God’s.  And we must still have problems following God’s directives…because verses like Galatians 5:26….  which says…. “ Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another”  ….clearly warn us to listen to the wise counsel God always sends us to help us know the right answer to a situation.

 

 

What those older men were trying to tell Rehoboam  was written down later in Hebrews 10:24… “ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”  The words are a call to peace…like Solomon’s wisdom achieved.  But maybe Solomon never taught his son how to obtain wisdom…how much time could he have devoted to parenting with 1000 women to care for…  so his son became the example and fulfillment of God’s words to his father.

 

 

It is reminder to me to always listen to God…and consider which choice I make will bring about peace and unity in the people around me.  I need to spur the ones God allows to be a part of my life to produce more love and kind deeds that prove my love is real.  And I need to pay attention to the Godly people he places near me…and listen to their counsel…..when it urges me to do something that will bring about peace and unity in the ones he placed close to me.

 

 

Father…..thank you for this story that reminds me that satan is lurking behind the smiling faces of some of my friends.  Help me to only listen to advice that encourages peace and unity for those that you have placed near me. Never let me make a choice without consulting you first. Guard me from ever making a choice based on my own needs and wants…but instead …help me to consider what will show others the most love of God. Amen.

What Is Your Stumbling Block?

1Kings 11:1-4 -  Now King Solomon loved many foreign women: the daughter of Pharaoh, and Moabite, Ammonite, E'domite, Sido'nian, and Hittite women,  from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel, "You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods"; Solomon clung to these in love.  He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.  For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

 

As Solomon aged…he added many women to his haram….one thousand in all. Seven hundred of those were wives….the others concubines.  He let their influence change his heart…and turned from worshiping the God who had given him his wisdom and wealth…to worship the gods of his wives and concubines.  He broke his side of the agreement with God…to always walk in his ways...and worship him alone.

 

Oh how it must have broken God’s heart when he came to Solomon to tell him he could no longer keep the agreement he had made with his father David. He was very angry with Solomon…but remained merciful and kind…out of respect for his father David.  He told Solomon that he would remain king till he died…but that he would raise up an enemy to strip all but one tribe’s leadership from his son.

 

Solomon’s heart had changed so much that he did not even show any remorse.  Somewhere along the road to his older years…he left his spiritual being far behind…and allowed satan in his house.  His wisdom was limited to his political affairs….as he allowed the women of his life to overcome his need for God.

 

If the wisest man on Earth had a weakness that satan could capitalize on…then so do all of us. I know for a fact this is true….because I could tell you a story about a girl who swore on her Bible that she would never drink.  But satan found her weakness….and while she worked weekends at a restaurant that served alcohol …and since her own marriage was very weak….she allowed the fellowship and kindness of the ‘party crowd’ she worked with…to weaken her faith…and turn her heart just enough to have that first drink.

 

It would be two long years…and a few other side trips of more mature drinking in the privacy of my new home after a divorce …before I realized that satan had pulled me completely from God’s ways…helping me justify what I wanted to do.  Thank God he came to me in the form of a wonderful church…and showed me how that drinking was not helping me grow in him….and I have been a non-drinker ever since.

 

I could probably tell you other stories from my own life that prove my theory….that none of us are strong enough to fight off the devil’s sneaky tricks on our own.  And Solomon’s wisdom…separated from God’s love… void of any  relationship with God…stopped him from recognizing satan in his many wives other gods.  If I examine my heart...right now …today…am I letting down my defenses any….allowing satan to see any weaknesses...that he might be able to attack…and eventually use to turn me away from God?  Or…even worse….is there something else in my life that I consider so important…that satan has already twisted my thinking….and I have justified it…even though I know the Bible clearly says it is wrong?

 

Father…I ask you to search my heart and reveal to me any small thing …stumbling blocks….that satan might be able to use to turn me away from your love.  Help me to recognize it as a stumbling block to building a closer relationship with you…and give me the strength to remove it from my life.  Thank you for allowing this story of Solomon’s great sin to be recorded in your word for me to read….to remind me to examine my own life and habits…so that I might be stronger against satan’s tricks and schemes.  Amen.

We Could All Use A Portion Of Solomon's Wisdom

1 Kings 10:1-3 - Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions.  She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind.  And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king which he could not explain to her.

 

Solomon’s wisdom was world renown…he drew to his kingdom many like the Queen of Sheba.  She had heard of this king…richer than any other…wiser than any man known to the earth. She just could not believe that it was true….so she packed gifts…and traveled by camel to meet with him and test his knowledge.  God granted Solomon the answer to any question she asked….every detail he needed to explain her hard questions… was carefully placed in his mind.

 

God allowed much of Solomon’s wisdom to be shared with us today….for many of Solomon’s wise sayings are recorded in the Bible.  Most Jewish scholars agree that he wrote the book of Proverbs and Song of Solomon.  He may have written Ecclesiastes as well…..but that is not supported by all Bible scholars. The depth of his wisdom contained in these pages encompasses everything we need to know to live a full...meaningful life with God at our side.

 

I struggled last night in reading this chapter….not really feeling any understanding or application for my life.  I do not feel wise by any standard.  Some friends call me sensible…while others describe me as  radical...and still others just call me crazy. I have asked God for wisdom many times in my prayers …and  thought I had claimed James 1:5….which says….. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  But perhaps my doubts….and  feelings of inadequacy overrode the promise that these words contain.  Maybe God hasn’t granted my request because I have a Sheba attitude….not believing…having to test Solomon with questions.

 

There was a point in this story where Sheba’s heart changed…and she accepted that Solomon was as wise as others claimed.  Maybe that is what I should pray for…a change of heart….to begin to believe that I can have the promise…and am in no way limited by the human abilities I was born with…so I can accept the great gifts God gives….that turn our weaknesses into wonders of his glory and power.

 

Father…you know my doubting heart…that has trouble believing that I can even memorize a simple set of words to a song.  Help me Lord to throw off the unbelief and doubt that satan uses to trap me in a limited world….and accept as Sheba did…the reality of your great power.  I ask you for wisdom once again God…but this time I also ask that you give me the change of heart I need to believe that you have given me this great gift of knowledge. Amen.

Can You Find 50 Righteous People?

1 Kings 9:6-8 - But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and the house which I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight; and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.  And this house will become a heap of ruins; everyone passing by it will be astonished, and will hiss; and they will say, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?'

 

Solomon had finished the temple….finished his house and several other buildings…even a new wall had been built around Jerusalem.  God had come to him once again to deliver a reminder of the blessing he would receive if he followed God….and these words of warning if he or his nation turned aside from following him. It makes me think of those verses in Deuteronomy 4…5….and 6 …about how God is such a jealous God.

 

God isn’t talking about the envious resentment we feel when someone has or does something we wanted to have or do….God is talking about the mental pain we cause him when we stop loving him…..and abandon him for another god. It’s a physical pain…like the pain your heart feels when it has been broken….or the pain a parent feels when they have to discipline their children. Maybe that’s what my mom and dad meant all those times they used to tell me that the spanking I was getting hurt them more than it hurt me.

 

This passage opened up a whole discussion in my mind about God’s wrath…and all the many things he is allowing to take place in our communities these days. I hesitate to put this thought on paper…but I have asked the question why many times in my life…with no clear answers. Some say that God doesn’t work this way anymore….that his mercy and love is not capable of such harsh punishments.  But if that is true then why does he allow such destruction with tornadoes and bombings…and crazy people who seem to have lost their minds.

 

The world clearly has problems these days…many simply do not believe in God at all…and I see many others on a daily basis that claim to love him…but their actions show me different.  I remember a conversation that Abraham had with God when he was pleading for the lives of Sodom.  He asked God if he could find just 50 righteous people….would he spare the town….in Genesis 18.  God must not have found them…for Sodom was destroyed as Lot and his family fled.  Maybe God isn’t finding enough righteous people in our world today either.

 

All I can do is speak for myself…and realize that I always have room to grow closer to God. I hope he would find me righteous enough to warn me like he did lot…or send me a dream like he did Joseph to flee to Egypt so Jesus could be safe…..or chase me out of a garden and protect it with flaming swords so I wouldn’t make two bad choices in a row. I know that most days…we don’t get the answers to why….just the strength we need to endure it and move on with life.  And God uses the pain he helped us endure to draw us close to someone who needs a little of the strength he gave us…as we rally to help those that were struck down form the storm he allowed in their life.

 

Father….you know my heart cries out why so many times…when my head knows you are going to hide the answers from me for one more day. So I thank you for the reminder that you are still near…and what I should really be doing is loving you through the pain I feel.  Help me to search for you and draw closer to your great love…that can sustain and strengthen me. Help me to do my part to keep the promise I made when I asked you to live in my heart. ..so when I find myself in the middle of a great catastrophe … I can feel you near ….comforting me and giving me courage. Father…I ask you to show yourself to the most recent victims of Oklahoma…and send people who you have strengthened before you …. to help them through the hard days ahead. Amen.

How Do YOu Pray?

1 Kings 8:22-23 and 59-61 -Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven; and said, "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to thy servants who walk before thee with all their heart…

Let these words of mine, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires;  that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other.  Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the LORD our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day."

 

Solomon gathered the leaders to watch the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to the new Temple. It must have been a grand procession…with singing …chants of praise….and quiet prayers of thankfulness for what God had accomplished through this peaceful king. The cloud of God’s presence encompassed the temple as the priest’s left the building…and the glory of his presence was so strong they could not reenter.

 

The scene inspired one of the greatest prayers I have ever read. It started with the great words that pronounced God the one true God…..and thanked him for keeping his great promise to David.  His prayer was quite a lengthy one….as he repeated his thanks to God for fulfilling his promises to his father David…..and thanking God for choosing his family to rein as king over Israel.  He admitted that God could not be contained in the small humble house he had built for him…and asked him to continue to pour out his blessings on his people…. if they followed his commands and loved him with all their heart and soul and mind.

 

He called for the people to look to God for all their needs…that when God shut up the heavens…or tested them with famine…or allowed an enemy to overcome them….that they should look towards the temple of his presence and pray with all their hearts for God to forgive their sins and give them freedom from these afflictions. Then he asked God to promise to always hear the prayers brought before this  temple…that were said with a repentant heart….and heal and provide a way for them to see his hand in the restoration of their life through the struggle.

 

His prayer continued as he faced the people and blessed them. He called for them to keep their hearts fixed on God and his ways….to continue to wholly lean on God for all their needs…so that someday all the peoples of the world would know and believe that God is the one true God.

 

It is no accident for me that this story has such a beautiful prayer.  My heart sensed as soon as I began to read it …that it was placed there to help me learn to talk to God more with my heart than with my head.  I admit that my prayer life has way more room for improvement that it should have for an old woman who has loved God pretty much all her life.  Some prayers hit the mark just perfectly...and I feel the tears of my heart flow through my eyes as I lift up the needs of my friends and family.  Most nights my prayers are mere words on paper…emotionless ….a ritual for me…just to say I prayed that day.

 

I will try not to beat myself up too bad...for I know that the Bible says that Gods hears every prayer…and the spirit even intercedes for me when I just don’t have it together. So in those moments that satan has tricked my heart into staying out of the way…Jesus has covered me with his love and prays for me to his father.  I guess that’s one reason I am still around…and still able to search for ways to kick satan out of my heart when I need to pray.  God wants all of us to learn to pray like Solomon…with our whole heart…loving God so much that we cry out our inner most thoughts ….even though God already knew what they were. 

 

Father…I thank  you that you allowed Solomon’s wonderful prayer to be recorded in your Bible.  I thank you that you allowed me to read it in this season of my life when I am searching for ways to strengthen my prayers to you.  Help me to learn to pray more with my heart than my head.  Allow me to have the wisdom to call up scripture that meets the need or contains the promise to answer each prayer I say.   May God give me the desire to do his will…every day…and remember those that are hurting…with prayers of strength and courage.  May God grant me the words to lift up the broken hearted….and ask him to heal them and make them whole again.  May God grant me the desire to pray more often…with boldness…with my face and hands lifted up as close to you as I can be. May God always help me remember to ask for the spirit to guide and direct my heart when I pray. Amen.

Have You Given Your Best?

1 kings 7:48-51 - So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the LORD: the golden altar, the golden table for the bread of the Presence,  the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary; the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold;  the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and firepans, of pure gold; and the sockets of gold, for the doors of the innermost part of the house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the nave of the temple.  Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the LORD was finished. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD.

 

Solomon took 13 years to build his own palace…then went right back to work on supplying the temple with the tools….basins….furniture…and altars it would need.  The temple of the Lord deserved the best there was to give…so David spared no expense bringing in the best bronze worker…to make the decorations and utensils for the house of God.  Everything was fashioned out of gold…or bronze or silver…and decorated with carvings of pomegranates…cherubs….palm trees and lilies.

 

It’s too bad no one ever preserved the sight in pictures.  I bet it was one awesome thing to see.  The mere grandeur of the building must have brought a reverent hush to the lips of anyone who came to pray …or give offerings …or bring sacrifices for the priest’s to offer to the Lord.  Each thing that Solomon had fashioned brought not just beauty and splendor…but had purpose as well.  The huge pillars must have shone bright to show the way to the main entrance…the vats … moveable tables …and other tools gave the priests the vessels and implements they needed to prepare themselves and the offerings for giving them to the Lord.

 

I thought as I read last night that this temple would look strange to us today… none of these pieces would look natural in my church at all.  But that is because God sent his son to be the last sacrifice for our sins…and that made Solomon’s version of the temple obsolete.  I guess that is why God allowed it to be destroyed so long ago.  God simply knew that he was going to lead man to worship him another way…. God new home would be in our heart…if we have asked him to come and save us….and it did not include sacrifices anymore.  His blood was shed for the sins of man and no animal would ever be needed again to atone for a man’s sin. He would now draw us together in small groups of believers to worship and praise and study his word.

 

But my curious mind could resist googling what some artists and historians interpreted this grand building to look like….and of course technology did not disappoint.   So here is the link to the video that simply touched my heart…and gave me a great respect and awe for the work that Solomon accomplished for the Lord in his day.   http://youtu.be/lFnWTz-7I0E    As I watched it I gained a new respect for the 7 years it took to put such a grand building together.

 

Father…I thank you for recording the great plans and descriptions of the temple you used to live in.  Thank you for blessing this peaceful king….Solomon…with the task of building your grand house.  Help me to always remember that you deserve the very best of what I have to give.  I thank you this morning for the son that came to earth and changed the way I view the church.  I thank you for placing me in the world in such a way that I was shown your love from an early age…and drawn to believe in your great plan of salvation.  Thank you for touching my heart with the need to believe in you…so much so that I asked you to live in my heart…and make it your new temple.  I thank you also for the small group of believers you have placed me with….so I can show you how much I love you and worship with them to show my gratitude for what you have done in my life…and what I know your plans hold for my future. They will prosper me beyond what I deserve…and bring about good in my life.  Help me to soak up all the goodness you bring near to my heart….so that I may be a shining light to others.  Amen.

His House Is Now Our Heart

1 kings 6: 11-14 -  Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon,  "Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my ordinances and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father.  And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel."  So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

 

Solomon was passionate about the job God gave him to do. He built a home for God that was so grand it took seven years. Each stone predesigned at a nearby quarry…so that quiet reverence could be maintained in the temple itself. God spoke to Solomon somewhere in the middle of the construction…his words a reminder that the key to following him was not in the structure itself…but in the word he would establish with him…as he had his father David…and their ancestors before that.

 

God’s only request had nothing to do with the materials…size…or rooms needed within the walls of his house.  Instead they focused on what we should do when we are outside the walls where we worship.  They were a reminder that we are to follow the ordinances and statues that God gave Moses…and allow God to establish his word with us….just as he did with them. God knew that having the word within us…was key to throwing off the temptations of satan… that would definitely try to separate us from his presence inside that house.

 

A friend reminded me just yesterday…that we are very lucky indeed to have the completed word.  Solomon …Moses….and the great apostles like Peter and John only had a small portion of it. God even gave the people before me the great wisdom to bind it together in a book that I can carry around…and study each night….so he can establish that word within my heart…so that I will remember its words when I am tempted not to keep one of those rules and commands he asked us to live by.  God knew that when his son came to die for our sins...his house would not be a building anymore.  His house would become the inside of every heart that accepts him and loves him…and begins to read and study his word…so that it becomes a part of who they are…and what they do each day.

 

Father…I thank you for the word you gave to Solomon.  I appreciate the beauty of the house you allowed him to build for you to live in….so you could establish your word with all who believe in you…and have accepted the priceless gift your son gave us when he died on that cross.  Help me father to establish your words in my heart…and make it an acceptable place for you to live in.  Let the words of your completed book give me power and strength and courage…and mercy for the days ahead. Amen.

Peace...A Time To Seek Guidance And Direction From God

1 Kings 5:3-5 -  "You know that because of the constant wars my father David had to fight against the enemy countries all around him, he could not build a temple for the worship of the Lord his God until the Lord had given him victory over all his enemies.  But now the Lord my God has given me peace on all my borders. I have no enemies, and there is no danger of attack.  The Lord promised my father David, "Your son, whom I will make king after you, will build a temple for me.' And I have now decided to build that temple for the worship of the Lord my God.

 

The king of Tyre was a good man.  He loved David and respected the choice he made in making Solomon king.  He honored his friendship with David by sending congratulations to his son. The great pact of peace that followed joined the two countries together in a simple arrangement….food in exchange for labor and wood from the high mountains of Lebanon.  Solomon wanted the temple built out of the finest wood ….cedar and cypress trees….wood that would last an eternity….and retain its beauty and purpose for generations to come.

 

It only cost Solomon 125 bushels of wheat…and 95 gallons of pure olive oil…a bargain by today’s standards. The two nations worked together to fell the trees…tie them into rafts…and float them down the seacoast to a spot where they could be brought the rest of the way by land. No Israelite was away from their families for more than a month at a time….because Solomon rotated the workers in an organized way.

 

Solomon was proud of the peace he had helped to bring about in Israel…and the teamwork that he was able to encourage between his country and Tyre was crucial to Solomon’s ability to complete the promise God made to his father.  Peace brings about quiet…tranquility…freedom…and those who enjoy it are able to release the energies they would have to use to fight their enemies …to doing more constructive things…like gathering the wood to build a temple.

 

Solomon could have sat on his laurels in the palace and done nothing…just enjoyed the peace and rest God had given him from all his father’s hard work.  But Solomon had been given wisdom…and wisdom tells us that peace should be used to do good things…that we should search out partnerships to try and fulfill the promises we have been given from God’s word. That must be my lesson today…to not sit around and rest all summer…for my summer break began today.  God knew that teachers need a long break to replenish the great amount of energy it takes to teach children all day long for 200 days of the year.  

 

I am not saying that you should never rest… I plan on enjoying the rocking chair on my porch and traveling to see family I don’t live near…and possibly make a trip to the beach and dig my toes in the sand in one of those huge lounge chairs…covered with a big umbrella.  But I know in my heart…from reading this story in 1 kings 5…that part of my summer needs to be spent seeking out the partnerships that will help me to do the work God has sent me here to do….reading and studying a little more than a working school day provides….maybe finishing that book I started writing 3 years ago….maybe even taking a leap of faith to search out a way to get the devotional book I have written published somehow.  The times of peace that God has blessed me with should be spent seeking out ways to build my relationship with him stronger…so that others can learn of the power of his great love.

 

Father…I thank you for the simple revelation this story brings to my heart.  Help me to embrace the thought of resting in your love…and using the time of peace…taking the resources you have blessed me with to search out your will in this time of peace. Take those quiet minutes I spend in my rocking chair on the porch… to bring to my mind the tidbits of wisdom I need to use my days this summer to your glory.  Show me the pathways to share what you have given me in writing with the ones who you want it shared with.  Strengthen the relationships I have with my family … children… and friends.  Show me how to use my time to help you spread the good news of your love and salvation with others. Amen.

Wisdom + Organization + A Searching Heart = World Peace

1 Kings 4:20-21 -  The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink.  King Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far south as the border of Egypt. The conquered peoples of those lands sent tribute money to Solomon and continued to serve him throughout his lifetime.

 

 

Perhaps one of the fruits of Solomon’s great wisdom was his ability to organize the kingdom.   He had at least 19 officials appointed to various duties within the kingdom….and a palace staff that required over 500 bushels of flour and meal to keep them fed…and that doesn’t include the meat and veggies they probably consumed.  The 12 tribes occupied an area of land that was huge…and kings from all around his kingdom paid him taxes…..and helped supplement the food each tribe of Israel sent to feed his palace staff each month…once a month. The vast expanse of his kingdom enjoyed peace… prosperity… exploding in numbers so numerous they matched the sand on the sea.

 

 

I’m just thinking on paper…not that any world leader would ever have the opportunity to read my post…but it seems to me that we have the formula for world peace…right here in the pages of the Bible. Take the wisdom you ask God for….organize your country with just 19 Godly cabinet members…..appoint only one person per territory or state to organize the food the ruler needs to run his household…take turns providing for the king and his staff….and use the taxes from the trade of the surrounding countries to support the military….and there you have it….world peace….content country men….and prosperity for all. 

 

 

Okay…maybe it isn’t that simple…but Solomon sure made it look that way…..but again…he is the one who had a searching heart…one that asked God for wisdom instead of riches and glory.  And God granted it…and had the results written down for us to see that a little wisdom goes a long way to fight the pride…. selfishness… greediness… and pompous attitudes of most of the leaders I see these days.   I include myself in the critique….for I am no better than they most days…looking out for myself before I consider the needs of others. I am always checking the balance in my savings before I decide to give to any cause. I should have written a ten dollar check and given it to a friend last night…but that is a story for another day.

 

 

Thank you Lord….for once again you have reminded me that I can start over this morning to correct my attitude.  Once again I am thankful that you give me a new chance to get it right today.  Help me to think of Solomon and the wisdom you gave him to rule a nation with you by his side…so you could bless the whole nation of people under his rule with peace and prosperity.  Help me do my part to bring about this peace here in America….and ask you daily to provide a way for the world to once again work together in peace as they did when Solomon ruled Israel. Amen.

 

What Do You Need From God?

1 Kings 3:7-12 -  O LORD my God, now you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn't know his way around.  And here I am among your own chosen people, a nation so great they are too numerous to count!  Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great nation of yours?"  The Lord was pleased with Solomon's reply and was glad that he had asked for wisdom.  So God replied, "Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people and have not asked for a long life or riches for yourself or the death of your enemies --  I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding mind such as no one else has ever had or ever will have!

 

Solomon had used his power to make an alliance with Egypt...gaining his first wife out of the deal.  He loved God and was following the Lord’s commands…except for the place he offered his sacrifices.  But God must not have been too upset with the one thousand sacrifices he offered in the hills of Gibeon…because he appeared to him in a dream that changed his life forever the next night. God asked Solomon what he wanted….so he could give it to him.

 

Solomon asked for an understanding mind….wisdom to lead the people….discernment to know how to settle the many problems he had no experience with…for he was just a child in his own eyes. And so God took what Solomon saw as his weakness…and made it into the strength of his reign.  He gave Solomon the wisdom he asked for….times infinity….so that he could rule the people with fairness and mercy…and justice.   I love how he used his gift immediately in settling the dispute of the two women who argued over a child. It was the wisdom and discernment of God that told him the real mother would be the one that granted the baby life with a stranger…over death.

 

I have never had the great pleasure of God coming to me in a straightforward dream and flat out telling me I could have anything I wanted.  That would be way cool…and I hope my flesh would stay out of the way long enough for my heart to tell God what I really need in this season of life.  I know I have asked God many times for discernment and wisdom enough to be a better friend and teacher…but I must have lacked the faith I needed to let it embody me the way Solomon did. At fifty-four….I still feel as inexperienced as a child sometimes…and I know I act like one more that I do the years my life represents.

 

Maybe my gifting is not supposed to be wisdom….so I just need to ask God to give me what he thinks I need. Then I need to ask him to help me recognize what he gave me to help him do his work here on Earth. And maybe if I search the deepest part of my heart…where satan hasn’t managed to infiltrate my deepest desires….I might already know what God wants me to have…just like Solomon seemed to know what he needed in that wonderful moment he was given to speak face to face to God.

 

Lord…I must be on to something here this morning …for the tears are starting to come and cleanse my heart from the tricks satan has placed there to keep me from recognizing your will for my life.  Oh how I need a breakthrough of your plan for my life…in order to concentrate on what will give me the greatest pleasure while I still have time on the Earth to do your will.  Father…I will close my eyes and pretend that you are in this room…and I will ask you to give me what I need in this moment to be what you need me to be.  I won’t second guess what it is this time…I will ask that you reveal it to me…and give me the eyes and ears to recognize what it is. Amen.

Is God The center Of Your Life?

1 Kings 2:1-4 -  As the time of King David's death approached, he gave this charge to his son Solomon:  "I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man.  Observe the requirements of the LORD your God and follow all his ways. Keep each of the laws, commands, regulations, and stipulations written in the law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go.  If you do this, then the LORD will keep the promise he made to me: 'If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.

 

David’s was given enough of a warning of his death…to know that it was time to call his son to his side and charge him with the most important part of his job as king. He told him to be courageous…and observe all the commands of Yahweh the Lord…so the promise God made to David could be carried out in the sons to be born into David’s great family. 

 

It must have given David great hope to share these words with his son Solomon.  It is significant that David chose to emphasize the positive relationship he should have with his maker….for David knew that a strong relationship with the Lord would give Solomon the strength and power to be a great king. He wanted his son to remember that God should always be at the center of his life….and should always be involved in every decision he made. 

 

If you read the rest of the chapter…you will note that David’s advice to his son included his personal…. work…. and church life.  After David made sure Solomon knew that God must be first in his life…he mentioned some relationships that would need to be dealt with.  There was much house cleaning to do in the Palace….some that needed purging…and some that just needed to be treated kindly as long as God granted them life.

 

Solomon wasted no time using the wisdom of his father to make decisions.  He had the ones who might threaten the throne dealt with as his father had told him…and even recognized the ploy of his brother Adonijah….when he asked to take Abishag as a wife. He knew if he allowed his brother to take the last mistress David had as a wife…the nation would see it as a claim to the throne.

 

My lesson in all this is simple… I need to work on keeping God the center of my life…just as David told his son. I admit that most days the Ferris Wheel of life gets a little off center from God.  I let the friends that give me the most attention get my attention…and that does not always glorify God.  If I expect God to keep that wonderful promise he made to me in Jeremiah 29:11…I must constantly evaluate my interactions with others and concentrate on the ones that help me build my relationship with God stronger….deeper…..and more meaningful….so I can keep that wheel moving in a perfectly balanced way…and be in the center of God’s will for me. That might even mean that I need to quit riding in the cars on the edge with my friends…  sometimes...and move to the center of the wheel…and learn to trust God for all I need.

 

Father…I am amazed at how every story I read in your word...chapter by chapter…. seems to teach me something new about how to live a life that honors and praises who you are.  Thank you for David…and letting the great words he shared with Solomon at his death…be recorded so I could benefit from them too. Help me to surrender more to your purpose in my life…and not be distracted so much by the fun satan tricks me with along the way. Show me how to keep you the center of my life…so I can be strong and courageous like Solomon.  Help me to keep all your commandments…so you can fulfill the promise you made to me in Jeremiah 29:11…and reveal the plans you have for me…to bring about good in my life…and give me a future that allows me hope. Amen.

Forgive...Just Forgive

1 kings 1:49-53 - Then all of Adonijah's guests jumped up in panic from the banquet table and quickly went their separate ways.  Adonijah himself was afraid of Solomon, so he rushed to the sacred tent and caught hold of the horns of the altar.  Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had seized the horns of the altar and that he was pleading, "Let Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!"  Solomon replied, "If he proves himself to be loyal, he will not be harmed. But if he does not, he will die."  So King Solomon summoned Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed low before the king, and Solomon dismissed him, saying, "Go on home."

 

King David had gotten so old he was limited to his bed…so his son Adonijah took it upon himself to have himself anointed king.  He rallied around him the people he knew would like the idea…and went to the springs of Enrogel…and sacrificed the animals he knew he needed to present to the lord.  It wasn’t a crazy idea for him…he was the fourth oldest…the ‘heir apparent.’ And he would have gotten away with the ploy…except the prophet Nathan was quick to tell Bathsheba to let the king know she and Solomon were in danger now….and cry to him how disappointed she was that he had not kept his promise to her that Solomon would be the next king.

 

David wasted no time putting together a team to anoint Solomon as the true king…which sent Adonijah running to hide from his brother in the temple.  He ran to the altar…the sacred place where he knew God’s mercy and forgiveness might just spare his life for trying to take the role of king…without asking his father…or God. Solomon just called for him…and when he saw his brother’s repentant attitude…he told him to go home.

 

Solomon’s first act as king was to proclaim forgiveness and mercy to his brother for trying to take the throne.  Maybe he learned how from his father …for just as David forgave Saul…Solomon forgave his brother….just as God forgives each of us. The lesson here ... we all need to develop a heart that follows this example.  I sure need to pray that God help me think about forgiving someone before I think about getting them back.

 

Father… thank you for reminding me this morning that forgiveness is an important part of my life with you. When I signed up for you to live in my heart…I signed on to have you make me into a creature more like you.  I thank you for the forgiveness and mercy you gave to me…and ask you to help me develop my heart into one that will forgive as you forgave my many sins. Show me who I need to forgive…and give me the words that will express just your love and mercy to everyone I still harbor any feelings of transgression.  Wash any hate and bitterness that satan has planted in my soul completely away with that cleansing blood of yours…so I can be more like Solomon…and forgive them without a second thought. Amen.

Giving Should Cost us....Something.

2 Samuel 24: 23-25 - I will give it all to you, and may the LORD your God accept your sacrifice."  But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on buying it, for I cannot present burnt offerings to the LORD my God that have cost me nothing." So David paid him fifty pieces of silver for the threshing floor and the oxen.  David built an altar there to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the LORD answered his prayer, and the plague was stopped.

 

This last chapter of 2 Samuel tells all about a census David took of the people....that took over 9 months.  He counted the people….but then felt guilty for doing it.  1,300,000 men of conscription age were logged into the census books….and that does not include children and women. A terrible 3 day plague …that killed over 70,000 of the Israelites were killed by the death angel before god’s mercy stopped him at the threshing floor of a man named Araunah …and David was sent to build an altar of thanks to God at the very spot.  

 

The humble words of David recorded in verse 24 are words that sure stabbed my proud heart last night… for they show me the Lord’s true definition of sacrifice. Sacrifice must cost us something. David simply did not feel he was giving anything to the Lord…..if he did not have to pay a price for it. It wasn’t a huge sacrifice t David….considering his great wealth…but 50 pieces of silver was quite a bit of money in those days…more than the fair market price.

 

I can’t rightfully say that I have truly sacrificed much …in comparison to what God has blessed me with. I debate with myself about whether to tithe my gross or net income.  I give to others…but it seems that it is always the extra I seem to have left …after I take care of my own needs.  Then of course…my mind thinks of the ultimate sacrifice that God gave to us in his son….and it makes me look at the ground in embarrassment at the weak attempts I have made in my life to make sacrifices for him.

 

Father…thank you for this story that reminds me that I need to give more…sacrifice more to show how much I love you.  Open my heart to be more generous…to give more to my church...to give more to others.  Open my eyes to the needs around me so I can use the great resources you blessed me with to help you help others.  Thank you for your great sacrifice to me…in giving your son to die for my many sins….and forgive me for taking the high cost of my salvation so lightly. Amen.

Every Sunrise Allows Us To Start Anew

2 Samuel 23:1-4 -  These are the last words of David: "David, the son of Jesse, speaks -- David, the man to whom God gave such wonderful success, David, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, David, the sweet psalmist of Israel.  "The Spirit of the LORD speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue.  The God of Israel spoke. The Rock of Israel said to me: 'The person who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God,  he is like the light of the morning, like the sunrise bursting forth in a cloudless sky, like the refreshing rains that bring tender grass from the earth.'

David was nearing the completion of his task as king…the job God anointed him to do was finished…and he honored David one more time by recording these sweet words.  They spoke of the need to fear God when we are given the high honor of leading others.  We should rise and seek God’s direction new each morning …and walk in his light each day.  We should pray for cloudless skies….to prevent satan form tripping us up with his lies and deceit.  We should provide for those that we are leading refreshment… and nourishment…so that their lives bring forth new growth.

Every parent…every teacher...every person that has a job directing others should listen closely to these words.   We need to wake up each new sunrise with God’s love in our soul…and pray for cloudless skies…so we can see satan when he approaches.  We need to walk in the light of his great Bible each and every day.  We should pray that God show us how to refresh those around us with the nourishment they need to have a closer relationship with God.

Once again…I admit to all that I have missed the mark.  I carry 30 years of parenting…and 30 years of teaching on my old shoulders…and I sure haven’t followed God’s advice every day.  But thank God that each new day brings a new opportunity for me to wake up with him and start anew.  And thank the Lord that he uses every mistake I made…even forgives me each time I realize what I have done wrong and ask him to help me set it right.  I can walk in his new light this morning…pray that he help me recognize the tricks of satan today…and nourish as many as I can with at least one thought that will help them grow more loving and kind
.
Father…I am so thankful that you recorded these great words of strength and wisdom from David’s last days on the Earth.  Forgive me Lord for the times when I failed to be the parent and teacher you needed me to be….show me how to make a fresh start…as the sun rises new today…and use your love to guide my decisions.  Help me to listen and hear your directions for the lives you will place near me today…and close my ears to any tricks that satan is laying in my path to confuse me. Amen.

David's Song Of Praise

2 Samuel 22:1-4 -  David sang this song to the LORD after the LORD had rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.  These are the words he sang: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;  my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold, my high tower, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.  I will call on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, for he saves me from my enemies.

 

David wrote a song of praise to the God who had stayed with him through the worst and the best of his life. He called God his rock…his fortress…his savior…his shield….his strength…his stronghold…his high tower. He said that God was worthy of praise for all he had done for this shepherd boy …giant killer…anointed king…sinner….redeemed man…who was close to the end of his purpose for life.

 

I can’t help but wonder what the original version of his song sounded like.  Perhaps he went to his room and simply sang out these beautiful words in a moment of prayer.  Maybe one day as he took a quiet walk …his praise just burst out of his heart….with loud shouts that scared the birds right out of the bushes.  Possibly… he was deep in prayer…. at the tent he so wanted to be a more ornate place for God to live…and his praise for God just couldn’t be kept silent. Or maybe he just picked up the harp he used so much as a child one afternoon and the tune he strummed inspired these great words of praise.

 

The words are almost verbatim the same as Psalm 18….perhaps a revised version of this original writing.  David must have felt the strength in its words…and wanted to make sure that others were able to use it later…so he wrote it down and gave it to the music director….so others could magnify and praise the Lord with its powerful words. Some of us will use these words to praise him quietly as we walk down the street. Some of us will praise him with loud shouts that come from the depths of our very soul.   Some of us will retreat to a quiet room…and speak in the softest...most reverent voice we can find at the moment.  Still more of us will kneel in moments of prayer…and cry out tears of praise…that seem so lacking for all that God has brought us through.

 

Father…I thank you for being my rock…my shield…my high tower.  I could never find the words to adequately thank you for all you have brought me through. When I am down… your love lifts me up just high enough that I don’t sink beneath the weight of life.  When I start to feel sorry for myself…you humble me with the sacrifice of your son on that cross. When I am overwhelmed with joy…you provide an avenue for me to sing your praise.  You are my strength when I am weak…and catch my tears when I am broken…then you build me back with your amazing love… to be something you can use.  Thank you for never leaving me…for always holding my hand…for chasing me when I ran away.  Draw me closer to you each day you allow me life…so I can share even more of the praise David felt in the moment that he wrote this song of love to you. Amen.

I Need To Keep My Promises

2 Samuel 21:1-3 -  There was a famine during David's reign that lasted for three years, so David asked the LORD about it. And the LORD said, "The famine has come because Saul and his family are guilty of murdering the Gibeonites."  So King David summoned the Gibeonites. They were not part of Israel but were all that was left of the nation of the Amorites. Israel had sworn not to kill them, but Saul, in his zeal, had tried to wipe them out.  David asked them, "What can I do for you to make amends? Tell me so that the LORD will bless his people again."

 

David knew that a famine that lasted more than one year was not just a coincidence…it must have been sent by God to punish them in some way. So he prayed…and prayed some more…until God reminded him of the covenant the Israelites had made with the Gibeonites.  It may have been 400 years old…and Saul’s family broke it….but God still required David to make amends for the people that had been murdered….so that God could lift the curse Saul had placed upon the Israelites.

 

The words of a sweet elephant are ringing in my ear this morning. For it was Horton who said… “I promised the mayor. I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. And an elephant's faithful 100%. “ Dr. Seuss may not have been a Bible scholar…but he sure understood the point the writer of 2 Samuel 21 is trying to make here.  Horton looked through 1,000’s of plants to keep his promise…and find the voices of Whoville.  He was ridiculed for his beliefs beyond the norm…but never gave up the effort to keep his promise.

 

The Bible mentions this concept in other places too.  Numbers 30:2…speaks of keeping our promises to God…..and James 5:12…Proverbs 19:5…and Matthew 5:33-37…all address the need of keeping our promises to men.  Matthew 5:24 even stretches the concept to include not just promises…but all grievances… “Leave your gift at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come back and present your gift.” We simply can’t have a healthy relationship with God if we harbor things against anyone else. 

 

I am so thankful that Jesus came and paid the last blood sacrifice on that cross…so that we no longer have to offer human sacrifices to God as David had too.  It must have been so hard for him to send those 7 men over to be impaled…and I am glad that I never have to see blood shed to make amends for my own mistakes. David’s compassionate heart like God’s own….saw the pain in Rizpah’s selfless actions…and he gave her 2 sons…along with the other 5…and  his friend Jonathan…and Saul a proper burial that provided closure for all who were involved.

 

Father…I thank you this morning for the gift you gave me in your son. Help me to really soak up the reality of just what pain and suffering his sacrifice saves me from…on a daily basis. I thank you for the reminder that my relationship with you could be fuller and richer if I will take the time to make peace with all those I have harmed in some way. I ask you to forgive me for the many promises I have made in life…and broken…some so long ago I don’t even remember.  Help me to recall the ones I can make right...and show me what to do to make amends…so I can return to your altar and praise you and worship you in fullness once again. Amen.