For many people, Solomon's life would be worth emulating - great intelligence and wisdom, immense power, worldwide fame and vast wealth. He seemed to have it all. What he did not have, though, was a wholehearted devotion to God. God filled Solomon's mind with supernatural wisdom, but his heart was divided. He did not prepare his own sons to be God's leaders because he was not, and in the end, Solomon's divided heart resulted in a divided kingdom and, eventually, God's judgment on the nation of Israel. David, Solomon's father and a "man after God's own heart," knew the condition of his son's heart. Near the end of his life, David admonished him to serve God with wholehearted devotion.
"And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever." 1 Chronicles 28:9
We have simple goals for our children. We simply want our children to be wholeheartedly devoted to our God, and to have willing minds that seek and serve him. We can raise our children to be Solomons - to be successful by the world's standards - but if their hearts are not turned toward God, we will miss the mark by God's standards. While the world may judge our children against the standards of intelligence, appearance, money, power and fame, God will judge them by their hearts. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
~ S. Clarkson
No comments:
Post a Comment