My thoughts ranged far and wide from the text today. The text became more of a springboard, rather than a foundation as I sat with the Lord.
My thoughts quickly jumped to the transfer of power. Israel was a mess as David’s time was winding down. There was no tradition, no understood way to transfer power from an aging king to his successor.
When there is a vacuum of power, people step in.
Disregarding the king’s spoken intention that Bathsheba’s son Solomon was to be David’s successor-king, Adonijah, the eldest of the king’s living sons, stepped in through a conspiracy with key officials to anoint himself king. This traitorous act forces David’s hand and Solomon is quickly anointed king and is seated on the king’s throne. What a mess…
Where my thoughts and prayers went was to my own country. With all our gifts and faults, one major blessing is the smooth transfer of power. The last 2-3 US Presidential elections has seen our country grow progressively more divided and still the transfer of power has been handled smoothly. For this is am grateful, especially seeing the issues that chaotic power transfers cause, and I am drawn to prayer for my and other countries in the world. When governments are in disarray, it is the people who suffer.
Oh, Lord, thank You for my country and the rule of law so firmly established in it. I am thankful for the founders who established a workable structure and for a country that follows it. I pray for those in national, state and local governmental leadership… give them grace to lead honorably and well. Thank you that power transfer is smooth. It is a great blessing to us as a nation.
Lord, I pray for my world, that leaders everywhere would be honorable men and women who seek wisdom and act with integrity in their leadership. No matter the governmental structure, protect the common person from the ravages of chaotic leadership change. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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