Thursday, April 15, 2010
April 16 ... I Kings 10 - 11 "Self-Obsessed or God Obsessed"
I Kings 11: 9-10 "God was furious with Solomon for abandoning the God of Israel, the God who had twice appeared to him and had so clearly commanded him not to fool around with other gods. Solomon faithlessly disobeyed God's orders." Solomon was obsessed with women and power and managing his kingdom. Maybe Solomon had wisdom, but he wasn't holy. 66LL "Effective management trumped holiness." God never intended for us to be obsessed with anything but HIM! We all deal with the depravity of man. Every one of us is obsessed with something or another person at different times. Yet, HE is knocking on the door of our hearts, Rev. 3:19-20, offering us this moment an opportunity for HIM to come in and fellowship with us as we repent from our lives "curved in on ourselves." For every day we move to live and love either self-obsessed or God obsessed! HE is always about the beauty of detaching us from anything that we have come to depend on for our life, our joy, our peace. HE is attaching us to Himself if we don't abandon Him in our minds, our motives, our management. He is freeing us up from demandingness and that's so good! When we made our big move to Austin, a friend gave me a Me & Ro necklace that is inscribed with the word "fearless." It's from Phil 1:20 in the Moffat version. It's my prayer for you this day. My hope is that you not feel ashamed but that you may honor your Christ in your own person with fearless courage.
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With tears in my eyes and so much gratitude in my heart to our good God, I want to share with you that Britt did hear that he was awarded a full ride to the University of Texas or Texas A&M. Humbled by the hand of God, especially at this time. I'm in Dallas with my daughter for her thyroid surgery. Thank you for praying for her. It's been a difficult week going through foreclosure and financial stuff. But it's been good because our circumstances don't define who we are. We are so persuaded of some things that will never change like HE is with us every step of the way! And He has been so very good to us! Leaning hard on His mercy this day!
ReplyDelete"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. If you don't know what you're doing pray to the Father. He loves to help."
ReplyDeleteJames 1:2-5 The Message
That is awesome about Britt. All praise to The King, Eternal.
So much good in your life, Bev, in spite of the hardships. Praying for all things to work out for good.
The verses above are at the end of the chapter on 1 Kings in 66LL. Encouraging words.
Needing some prayer support today for my brother and his surgery.
It is a sheer gift.
Leaning hard on His mercy this day, too, Bev!
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ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful news about Britt. I will pray for your daughter today. I have 4 daughters, and I know when one hurts, the mom hurts as well. I will pray God's grace and mercy for both of you. As I read today's scripture I kept thinking, wow, Solomon had everything he could ever want, but he still followed other Gods, how stupid can a smart man be? Then with a jolt of reality, I realized, God has given me so much and still I am not always happy, I'm sometimes depressed and left with a deep feeling of loneliness. I have to admit, although it's not too pretty a picture, I look for other "Gods, in things I want, things I think I need and in expecting others to meet my needs. I guess the scripture was written for me once again, today I will commit to seeking the One True God to truly be the Lord of my life.
ReplyDeleteI keep thinking about the fact that Solomon didn't finish well even though he was the wisest man who ever lived. "Solomon openly defied God; he did not follow in his father David's footsteps."
ReplyDeleteI have always placed too high a value on intelligence. Honestly, that's the way I was raised, and that's what I was always praised for. My smarts got me things I wanted.
Yet in my 20s, I fell flat on my face because I thought I was so smart and got caught up in major sin. I thought I was smarter than everyone else; what a slap in the face to find out that I wasn't! Yet I can see now that it was only the grace of God, changing the trajectory of my life.
I'm thankful for the lessons from Solomon of what can and will happen if I value anything other than personal holiness. I still struggle daily with my usual temptations - pride, tasks over people, control, and selfishness - but God has so grabbed my heart through His Word. I am graterful beyond words for His conviction and for opening my eyes to see Him in all of His glory.
Praying for you, Bev, and for Blair while you're in Dallas. It was so wonderful to talk with you yesterday. I'm glad the timing worked out so well.
Thrilled for Britt and the news of the full ride to college. God is faithful! And He has done it!
Miss Manistique, even the name of your town is artistic like you. I'm shaking my head "Yes" over here reading your comment---looking for God in other things, expectations on others. I do the same things. Holding fast to Him today with you and His Plan A for Miss Manistique---I love saying that...smile. You're precious!
ReplyDeleteDeborah---that verse was so for me this day! Don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Wonder why I try so hard to get out of "cancer." Who wants it? No one. But why do I do what I do? Why do I buffet my body and make it my slave less I should be disqualified? For His Pleasure? or mine? Just love you to pieces and all you bring to the table here. I feel like I scoop up your crubms with a vengeance. Whatever that means! I'm smiling, enjoying you! Love you!
ReplyDeleteCici, I just think like you do so much! Just love your heart and what you know you are convinced of!!!!!!!!!! Loved talking with you.
ReplyDeleteHow I am praising God with you all about Britt's news...what a beautiful gift. Praying for you and your sweet Blair. God is in the midst of all that is going on and I know that He has gone before you in all of the matters that concern you and He has it all under control, even when it appears on the surface that it is spinning out of control...for you know who holds your hand and who controls the future....You can face tomorrow for you know that He lives!!!love you...Mary Lou
ReplyDeleteJOY I feel for you, dear Bev. And so proud of Britt. I just watched "Julie and Julie" and in the words of Paul, her husband, "Home is where you are." What you have been through is monumental, yet God so shines through your heart that always returns to Him. I am praying for Blair and for you, sweet mom--keep leaning on His mercy and soak in His love and heart for the details of your life. I love you so. A
ReplyDeleteBev - I am amazed by your strength and outlook each and every day through this blog, with everything you are facing. I am thrilled with the news of Britt, God is so faithful isn't He?
ReplyDeleteCh. 11 was such a drastic change from the entire book of 1 Kings. For 10 chapters God displayed his splendor through Solomon; yet, we get to Ch. 11 and in only a few verses Solomon has sinned, turned from God, and then his story in God's Book is over and he dies. Swift, fast, and gone.
Solomon spent his lifetime laying a foundation with God, but he did not follow through in his last years. As a result, he lost EVERYTHING.
This just reminded me that is is not enough to get off to a right start in building a marriage, career, or church on God's principles; we must remain faithful to God to the end (Mark 13:13) God must be in control of our lives from beginning to end.