Theological Commentary: Click Here
Discipleship Focus: Character
- Character: Having the interior life that is necessary to support the work that God sets before a person. It is hearing from God and obeying. It is doing the right thing when nobody is looking.
There was
a sentence in my blog from three years ago that haunts me even today. I think it is worth exploring. Here it is: Do I actually think that I can please
Him with anything until I have given Him everything?
I derived
this question as I looked at the lavishness of Solomon’s dedication to the
Lord. We’ve gotten the sense over the
last few chapters that God isn’t really convinced by Solomon’s affection. God is always reminding Solomon that what is
important is the contrition of his heart and keeping the statutes of the Lord
front and center. But it’s not fair for
me to stand as judge over Solomon. That’s
God’s job. So instead I stand as judge
over myself. Do I do the same thing as
Solomon? Do I go through the motions of
what I think God wants without actually giving Him what He wants: my whole life?
You see,
I can put on all the trappings of a good spiritual life. I can pray out loud with all the right
words. I can give of my time to all
kinds of causes. I can spend my Sundays
in church singing all the latest and greatest songs. But if it isn’t genuine, what good is
it? If I am just going through the
motions rather than actually giving God my all, what’s the point?
Fundamentally,
this really is just a question character.
Do I have what it takes to be legitimately found in God? Do I have the character within to match the
outward trappings that I can so easily create as a façade? This is fundamentally the question that
threads its way through Solomon’s story.
This really is the question that works its way through my life and your
life, too.
<><
No comments:
Post a Comment