May 21 - 1 Kings 3:16-28 | 1 Kings 5:1-18 | 2 Chronicles 2:1-18 | 1 Kings 6:1-13 | 2 Chronicles 3:1-14 | 1 Kings 6:14-38

Good morning everyone,

We start our reading this morning with the story of the two women who went to Solomon with a single baby, both claiming to be the mother. Oh, I can see it in my mind’s eye. The royal police get a family disturbance call, two of Jerusalem’s finest peace keepers go to the scene, they can not calm the women down and so they haul them off to let the king solve the problem. There they stand, both in tears pleading their cases. One innocent and desperate for the return of her child, the other, though equally desperate beyond comprehension, her heart broken with the death of her son, guilty. What’s a king to do? Never loosing his cool, and in a calm but authoritative tone, King Solomon orders, “Bring me a sword.” This is a classic example of the wisdom God gave Solomon. The same wisdom is ours for the asking. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” This is a great promise, one you can, we all can act boldly in, when we are in prayer, in communication with God.

On to the Temple. Now you remember, right?, it was to be built at the threshing floor of Araunah on Mount Moriah, that David bought to erect an alter on back when God called him out on his sin of pride. Okay? Solomon’s looking at this real-estate one morning and thinks, “now is the time”, so he contacts Hiram, the king of Tyre who had been a very good friend of David, tells him of the plans he has and that he is looking to him for timber. Hiram says, “No problem”, and so begins the construction. This was to be a seven year project. It will take 153,600 plus workers, requiring literally hundreds of tons of food daily, that’s right, daily; wood, metals and jewels that in today’s economy would equate to billions of dollars; and precision cut stones (totally understated, some weighing several hundred tons. Yes, tons!) from a quarry. These stones were to be cut, chipped and chiseled to the precise size and then hauled up to location. 

Hmmm, cut, chipped and chiseled, I kind of like that. Isn’t that what God is doing with us here on earth? We’re the stones and He uses different tools daily to cut, chip and chisel us into a better person. He whittles away at the calluses we can form, He smooths out our attitudes and patterns us into a person more like minded with Himself, so that when we get “hauled up” to heaven we’ll fit perfectly. Make sense? Those tools could look like a cranky boss, or a person who cuts us off on the freeway or a neighbor who allows their animals to do their morning “dootie” EVERY morning in your yard; anything and everything, all designed to prepare us for eternity. I would encourage you to not fight against it, to choose to not get so upset with these challenges God puts before you, perhaps try praying for them or singing praises to God through them. You know, nothing drives the enemy away quicker than prayer and praises to God. Nothing! And it leaves you feeling so much better for it. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us, "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Ahhh, I love the peace that goes with that. Thank you Jesus! Amen?

I pray you have a great day, to God be the glory.

God bless you all …