Monday, June 26: 1Kings 10- Is wealth seducing you?.

Opulent and extravagant wealth… such is the picture that emerges from this chapter of Kings. Israel was at her zenith in wealth, prestige and world acclaim. King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart (23-24).

But where is the Lord? Yes, He had done this, but nary a word about the worship of the Lord is presented in this chapter. The only reference comes in the opening verse when the writer notes, When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.

The wonderings I have are about Solomon’s relationship with the Lord. Yes, God is extravagantly blessing him but what about his devotion to the Lord? All the fineries mentioned were his… chariots and horses, gold almost beyond measure, shields of gold and goblets of gold.

I’m wondering if Solomon is being seduced by his fame and wealth. Maybe it is just a lone chapter and God doesn't figure prominently in this one chapter. This has happened before in the story of God’s people. But I am also wondering about Jesus line, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God (Mark 10:25).

Wealth has a seductive power to it. I am wondering if Solomon is falling prey to it.

A person doesn’t have to have the wealth of Solomon to be under money and riches spell.

The Lord begins to probe my relationship with wealth.  Is the basic comfort and security I have undermining my reliance on the Lord? This is a deeper question than it appears and I need to sit with it for a while allowing it to soak into private places of my inner life…

After all, according to Jesus a person cannot serve both God and mammon (money, wealth, riches) (Matthew 6:24).

Lord, look into me and show me who I truly am. I need You, Lord.  I love You, Lord. Amen.

 

1 comment:

  1. riches are meant to support the the work of God but not to be worshiped. and it is good if God himself blesses you or is the source of it.

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