2 Chronicles 8:1-2 - It was now twenty years since Solomon
had become king, and the great building projects of the LORD's Temple and his
own royal palace were completed. Solomon
now turned his attention to rebuilding the towns that King Hiram had
given him, and he settled Israelites in them.
The twenty years that Solomon ruled Israel…allowed this
passionate ….wise king to complete every project he had set his heart to do. He
built himself a palace….built his God a grand temple….and spent many hours
recording the wisdom God gave him in the books of Proverbs and Song of
Solomon. Solomon was driven in these
first 20 years as king… to use all of his time to focus on some task that would
build up his faith and trust in God.
One task that helped reclaim the kingdom…and combine the new
cities given as gifts or claimed as territories as a result of war….was the
attention he gave to rebuilding and fortifying the cities around him. He strengthened their physical structures…then
sent bands of Israelite to live there…and claim the land for God’s people.
What a great model of how we need to constantly strengthen and
fortify our souls. When we complete a
major task we know God gave us to do…we should set our minds and hearts on strengthening
and organizing the many resources God has given us. We need to fortify our minds with his
knowledge…and wisdom. We need to pray for
his guidance and direction…so that we will know what task he is preparing for
us next. We need to store up every ounce of God we can get our hands on….as
deep in our heart as we can get it…so when God reveals the next task he has for
us…we will be on our game…and ready to leap into action.
I heard a call from God to be his missionary two years
ago. For now…my mission field is the
public school….but I just know…somewhere deep in my heart that I will be
traveling to Africa someday…to work for him there. I can see from my writing
desk the passport application that I got one day from the post office. It is still empty and blank….not at all ready
to be processed. I have a tendency to use my spare time knitting…or crocheting ….or
sewing…or watching movies. Perhaps I need to spend more time studying and
preparing for the day he sends me …wherever…perhaps I need to spend some time
today filling that out…and call to have
it processed.
Perhaps it is just a reminder to lose myself in God’s word…and
pray more often. I heard a comment just
recently that we need to tithe more than our money to God’s service. A mere 10% of 24 hours is 2 hours and 40
minutes a day. Even if I add up all the
time I spend reading my Bible…all the time I use writing these devotionals...and
all the time I spend serving God in a ministry at church….I come up short for
the week. So I guess I should start
finding a way to add a few more minutes with God from now on.
Father…I thank you for Solomon’s desire to be busy with
building up your kingdom. Help me to
plant his desire and passion for your ways in my own heart. Show me how to fortify my heart …so I will be
ready to defeat satan when he tempts me.
Show me the block of time each day that I can use to soak in more of your
word…or pray to you for guidance. Keep me from ever being idle…but to spend all
my time strengthening the skills and resources you placed in me…so I will be
ready to work for you when you reveal your great plan for my life. Amen.
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