Am I Accomplishing Things The Lord Wants Done In A Manner Acceptable to Him? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 28:9-11,

"Because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven. And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But aren't you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God? Now listen to me! Send back your fellow Israelites you have taken as prisoners, for the Lord's fierce anger rests on you."

These are the words of the prophet Oded to the army of the northern kingdom of Israel as they returned from defeating their brothers in Judah. Because of the sins of Judah, and her king Ahaz, the Lord gave Judah "into the hands of the king of Aram", verse 5 as well as the northern kingdom of Israel.

The account helps us understand some things of the Lord. It was the Lord who created nation-states among mankind, not mankind himself. We have in this account one of his purposes in creating these nation-states. He actively promotes his agenda through the interactions he causes among them. We see this played out in this account.

Also, we see that although the northern kingdom was used by the Lord to get Judah's attention (by crushing them militarily), his use of the northern kingdom was not a precision use. The Lord became angry with the very people he was using to humble other people because, as Oded points out, they went too far. Now the northern kingdom, who was not free from the impulse of sin themselves, was in the Lord's cross-hairs. Apparently not all who are used by the Lord find themselves in his good graces.

This is perhaps a good warning for all who feel they are being used by God. Introspection is always warranted to insure what we are doing falls within the confines of his desires. The caution for me is that even though I might feel I am being used by the Lord, I can at the same time find myself outside the parameters of what pleases him.

It really is an important thing to think about, and certainly something this account speaks to.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Scriptures Are True To Life - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 26:19,

"Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord's temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead."

Uzziah was Judah's tenth king following Solomon. His reign in Judah had a wonderful start. We read in verse 4, "He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done." However, we are told that pride became his undoing, "But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense."

It was this pride that led him into the temple to offer incense, something reserved by the Lord's command for priests. Uzziah was not a priest.

I note in the above verse that the culmination of his pride led to an angry outburst by Uzziah when he was confronted by the priests. The outburst led to the Lord striking him with leprosy, not only a medical issue but a huge humiliation for this king!

I have noticed in my own life that my own outbursts of anger have most always been precipitated by some kind of pride on my part, and, usually, an outburst leads to some kind of humiliation on my part in one way or another. Life is self-correcting at times: Pride can lead to angry outbursts and angry outbursts can lead to humiliation.

I mention this because I find the accounts in Scripture very insightful and true to life. I certainly find it so in my life!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God Has The Power To Help Or Overthrow - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 25:8,

"Your Majesty, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel—not with any of the people of Ephraim. Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow."

This prophecy was brought by a man of God to King Amaziah of Judah. As Amaziah organized his military, he added to his own ranks a hundred thousand mercenaries from the northern kingdom for a hundred talents of gold. In response to Amaziah's move to add the mercenaries, the Lord sent him this warning.

The reality is that the military victories God's people enjoyed were at the Lord's hand - the Lord brought them. The size and strength of the military was never the deciding factor. This point is made over and over again throughout Israel's history as provided us in the Scriptures. Not only did this point appear to escape King Amaziah, but a further threat he brought against himself was to hire men the Lord would oppose, and result in God overthrowing any military action Amaziah might engage in.

The Lord made the point by sealing it with this observation of himself: "God has the power to help or to overthrow."

This is perhaps one of the more important truths about God we should be reminded of in our own lives - and often. Knowing that God has the power to help or to overthrow, in no matter what challenge we might be facing is important because this aspect of God transcends just military activity. It is applicable to every facet of our lives.

Do we want God's help in bringing a victory in our life, or do we want to be overthrown by him? It all resides in our desire to live for him.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Opposing God Brings Certain Peril - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 23:24b,

"Because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash."

Joash was a good king in Judah, the eighth king following Solomon. At least he had a good start in his reign. In verse 2 we read, "Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years of Jehoiada the priest." He restored the temple of the Lord after Athaliah, his predecessor on the throne had continued the idolatry of kings Jehoram and Ahaziah before her.

However, when the priest Jehoiada passed away Joash went bad, abandoned the temple of the Lord and pursued the worship of idols. A good king gone bad when the good influence of the priest Jehoiada passed from him.

The Lord responded to Joash's fateful folly. As we see in our verse above, the Lord executed judgment on Joash when he turned against the Lord. Joash suffered a humiliating defeat by the Arameans and his own officials killed him in his bed. We are told it was because Joash had put to death Jehoiada's son, Zechariah, who had called out Joash for abandoning the Lord.

The messages of Israel's history contain so much we can learn of the Lord. One thing that stands out clearly is that when anyone opposes what the Lord is pursuing, they always do it to their own peril. Just ask Joash.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Who We Spend Time With - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 22:4,

"He [King Ahaziah of Judah] did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father's death they became his advisers, to his undoing."

The reign of Ahaziah was a short one, just one year. We are told in the above verse that his undoing was brought about by him allowing the members of Ahab's house to be his advisors. Ahab, the king of the northern kingdom, was a wicked man, the husband of Jezebel.

Surrounding himself with wicked people was a certain recipe for personal and political destruction and failure for Ahaziah. It certainly is a recipe for personal destruction for anyone. We read in Proverbs 13:20, "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm." In the book of Proverbs a fool is not someone with a lack of intelligence, but a lack of moral bearing, a lack of wisdom in life due to moral corruption and failure.

Surround yourself with immoral people and you will certainly suffer harm, both to yourself as well as your loved ones. This is why parents are naturally concerned with who their children "hang with." As we grow into adulthood nothing changes, it is an easy way to bring destruction into our lives.

On the other hand, I love the principle the Lord gives us in Proverbs, "Walk with the wise and become wise..." Imagine the impact spending time with the Son of God through prayer and reading Scripture has on our lives!

One of the many ways the Lord blesses us - is his providing us wonderful brothers and sisters in the Lord and the time he provides us with them.

It really makes a difference who we surround ourselves with. Just ask King Ahaziah!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Sin: An Insane Thing To Pursue - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 21:8,

"In the time of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against Judah and set up its own king."

Here is a simple comment of something that took place during the reign of Jehoram over Judah. Although a simple comment, it is loaded with a truckload of reality.

Not only did Edom rebel against King Jehoram, but Libnah did as well, verse 10. Additionally, the prophet Elijah told Jehoram, "Now the Lord is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out." Verses 14 and 15. We also read, "The Lord aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs who lived near the Cushites. They attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king's palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah, the youngest." Verses 16-17.

Why all this difficulty, hardship and devastation that the Lord brought on Jehoram? Although his father and predecessor on the throne, Jehoshaphat, received many blessings from the Lord because he followed the Lord, Jehoram went another way, his own way into sin.

Verses 5 and 6 tell us, "Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord." In verse 10 we read that Jehoram had forsaken the Lord and led the people into idolatry.

When Jehoram ascended the throne in Judah he murdered all of his brothers to protect his reign. From there he just went downhill.

You might think Jehoram would have taken a clue from his father, to follow the Lord, to enjoy the many blessings his father received from the Lord. But, sadly, no. Jehoram turned his back on God to go his own foolish way and reaped the consequences of his sinful foolishness.

Such is sin, the sin that abides in us all. It prompts us to turn our backs on God and to go our own way, as Jehoram did. We may not be kings like he was, but we certainly have that same beckoning call of sin to seek some self-centered illicit satisfaction, or whatever.

How insane it was for Jehoram to see how wonderful things went for Jehoshaphat when Jehoshaphat followed the Lord, and, yet, go a different way!

How insane it would be for us to see how badly it went for Jehoram and follow that same impulse!

Something to think about today...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Lord's Practical Lessons - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 20:2-4,

"Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, 'A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar' (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him."

The Lord did not fail. The "vast army" was defeated without Judah having to raise a hand. "The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another." The Lord had them all kill one another!

This turn of events for Jehoshaphat and Judah was clearly used by the Lord as a "training aid" to teach the folks about trusting and relying on God's great power and resources. King Jehoshaphat told the people, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." Verse 20.

The prophet Jahaziel told Jehoshaphat and the people, "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's." Verse 15.

Here is a lesson from the Lord, introduced by events well beyond Judah's ability to handle. We see throughout the Scriptures the Lord works with people in just this way-- to teach that he is a strong refuge, the One to go to as trouble is faced, the one who has both the ability to deliver and the desire to do so.

I firmly believe the Lord continues to do this very thing in our lives today, to stretch us spiritually, to develop within us an appreciation for his loving  desire to provide deliverance for us.

Just how might he be doing just that kind of thing in our lives today?Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Obligation to Warn About Sin - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 19:10,

"In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord; otherwise his wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin."

King Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of families as judges, "to administer the law of the Lord and to settle disputes", verse 8. When he did so, he provided them instructions that were to be kept.

The instruction above points to the culpability these judges would have if they did warn sinners that came before them of their sin. Serving "faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord", verse 9, required their follow through in this, otherwise the Lord's wrath would land on the judges!

This instruction causes me to think of the responsibility I have to warn others of their sin before the Lord. Were I to fail in this, would I be culpable before the Lord?

Of course, there are those whose over-high estimation of themselves consider themselves to be above others, those who feel they are more righteous than others, better than others. Jesus warned against such arrogance in his parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Luke 18:9-14.

"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ^'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: "God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get."'"

Jesus pointed out, "all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." Verse 14.

However, it is a very different thing to know truth and keep it from others, particularly when that truth just might save their eternal lives. Unless someone knows they are a sinner in need of the Savior, they may never embrace Jesus Christ. Knowing the truth that the sin we are all guilty of will lead to certain eternal death does obligate us to share that truth to others. Keeping that truth from them brings a certain guilt to us.

We read in Proverbs 24:11-12,

"Rescue those being led away to death;
    hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
If you say, 'But we knew nothing about this,'
    does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
    Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?"

Jehoshaphat's instruction to the judges he appointed is a reminder for me today that I have an obligation to explain to others their need of salvation - they are sinners.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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About What The Prophets Have To Say - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 18:13,

"As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says."

When the prophet Micaiah was brought before northern Israel's king, Ahab, and southern Judah's king, Jehoshaphat, as they sought the Lord's counsel on whether to go to war against Ramoth Gilead, he was advised by the messenger who was sent to retrieve him to agree with what the false prophets were already advising the kings.

Micaiah's response was noteworthy, "I can tell him only what my God says."

Peter instructs us about the various prophets who penned the words of Scripture. In 2 Peter 1:20-21 he says, "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

This instruction from Peter on the nature of prophecy comports well with Micaiah's response so many years earlier. It provides us the grounds for our confidence in all that we read in Scripture. All Scripture has its origin in prophets who were "carried along" by the Holy Spirit.

As such, Scripture is truthful in all it says. It is trustworthy and an accurate telling of things. It is authoritative as it comes from God himself. It is intentional and possesses all the Lord wants us to know of things. It teaches us of things we could not otherwise know of the Lord. Importantly, it tells us how we can come to know the Lord, how we can find our way into his family and experience an eternity spent in the pleasures at his right hand, Psalm 16:11.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Deceit of Half Truths - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 13:4-8,

"Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, 'Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! Don't you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of Solomon son of David, rebelled against his master. Some worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them. And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hands of David's descendants."

Here is half a story if ever there was one! Abijah, king of Judah, Rehoboam's successor, who headed out to confront Jeroboam and his northern ten tribes challenged them with the above.

We know from 2 Chronicles 11:2-4 that Abijah's father, Rehoboam, was told by the Lord that it was the Lord himself that brought about the split of Israel ("this is my doing") and gave the northern ten tribes to Jeroboam... it was not due to a rebellion that had its origin in the machinations of Jeroboam and "scoundrels" that gathered with him that caused his father to lose the northern ten tribes. It certainly was not due to a taking advantage of Rehoboam's youth, indecisiveness and lack of strength. It was due to his grandfather's (King Solomon) turning from the Lord that caused it. See 1 Kings 11.

I think we can be quite certain Abijah was well aware of it.

Isn't it just like a politician to provide half truth in order to justify? Isn't it just like a lot of us...?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Who Split Israel? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 11:2-4,

"But this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God: ^'Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, ^"This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing."'"

Following the death of Solomon, the nation of Israel split: into the northern kingdom of ten tribes and the southern kingdom of two. The event that caused the split was the response of Rehoboam, Solomon's son, the heir to the throne, to the people looking for relief from the hard life Solomon had put the people through. Solomon pursued considerable building projects during his lifetime that taxed the nation severely.

Rehoboam rebuffed the people that resulted in a rebellion against his throne - and that led to the northern ten tribes splitting from the southern two that remained with Rehoboam. The northern ten retained the name "Israel" and the southern two tribes as a separate nation was named after its larger tribe of the two - "Judah."

As Rehoboam prepared to go to war against the northern kingdom in response, the Lord sent a prophet to him, Shemaiah, with the above message - "this is my doing."

The split of the nation was the Lord's doing!

Why did the Lord split the nation of Israel, his covenant people? In 1 Kings 11:9-11 we read, "The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord's command. So the Lord said to Solomon, 'Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.'"

The subordinate was Jeroboam who became the king of the northern ten tribes. The Lord went on to say to Solomon, "Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen."

Solomon's idolatry toward the end of his life became the cause of the split in Israel. It came about just after his death.

From our perspective we can see just how the Lord does things that might not be all that recognizable to those involved. I suspect many at the time felt the ultimate cause for the division of Israel was Rehoboam's foolishness. It turns out that his foolishness was only a part of circumstances the Lord engineered to bring about what he decided to do.

What might the Lord be doing on the world stage today, the cause of which may not be readily apparent to us?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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No Temple in Jerusalem - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 7:12,

"I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices."

Following Solomon's dedication of the new temple in Jerusalem, the Lord promised his presence there as long as Solomon and the nation remained faithful to him. "I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." Verse 16.

However, he warned that unfaithfulness would cause him to reject the temple, "This temple will become a heap of rubble." Verse 21.

Why is there no temple in Israel today? That is an issue between Israel and the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. It is not due to the Palestinians, it is not due to a lack of support by the United States, it is not because Satan is alive and well on planet earth and it is not because of Islam.

Israel as a people have yet to embrace Jesus Christ as God's one and only Son, the Messiah. One day she will, see Romans 11:25-32.

Until God's covenanted people embrace her Messiah, Jesus Christ, I would not look for a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem the Lord recognizes. The temple he lives in today is the body of believers that have embraced Jesus Christ.

However, since the Lord has made possible the return of Israel to the promised land... what might be next?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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A Cycle of Sin, Judgement, Repentance and Blessing - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 6:36-39,

"When they (the Israelites) sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you."

Solomon's prayer here takes on a prophetic aspect as he exactly describes the events to take place several centuries later, following the split of the nation. The northern ten tribes will be defeated by the Assyrians in 722 BC and the southern kingdom will be defeated by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Following a seventy year captivity in Babylon, and a repentance among the remnant from the perennial idolatry and sin the nation engaged in, the Lord allowed them to return to the land.

What I find instructive in Solomon's prayer is the cycle he observes: "When they sin against you... and [you] give them over to the enemy... and if they have a change of heart... and repent... forgive your people." We see this cycle play out over and over again in Israel's history. Sin ultimately brings suffering from God's hand, the suffering brings repentance, repentance brings God's blessing.

I believe this is a cycle we still see today.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Drawing Near to God - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 1:3,

"Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon, for God's tent of meeting was there, which Moses the Lord's servant had made in the wilderness."

When Solomon became king, we are told he went to Gibeon, where God's tent of meeting was located to inquire of the Lord, verse 5. It was when Solomon went there that God appeared to him and asked him, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." Verse 7. Solomon asked for the wisdom it would take to lead God's people. What Solomon received was astonishing. When Solomon drew near to God, God drew near to Solomon.

This causes me to think of what James had to say, "Come near to God and he will come near to you." James 4:8. While we are not kings looking how we might gain the wisdom needed to effectively rule over God's covenant people, we, nevertheless, needs God's wisdom to be productive and effective in this life, in this age.

Solomon's example shows us the way. Just as Solomon found what he needed from God by drawing near to him, so we can find what we need by drawing near to God, just as James tells us.

What might you approach God for today? "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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