It Only Takes One - Denise Pass
Scripture of the Day:
1 Kings 3:1a
“Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter.” (NIV)
Hope Discovery of the Day:
It only takes one prayer, one moment of turning back to God to get us back on the right path again.
It only takes one. One moment to radically change our lives. One decision to set the course of our lives aright or amiss. And one prayer to affect a soul forever.
Solomon was a wise guy. He knew what mattered most, but even wise people can make foolish decisions. On the opening scene of Solomon’s reign, the stage was set for a problem in his foundation. He made an alliance with a pagan nation and married an unbeliever. The word alliance signifies a political mindset, but it was also a relationship likely made from an affinity Solomon had for Pharaoh’s daughter. It is doubtful that her character was the primary motive for this decision. Choosing an ally who had a pluralistic faith was choosing to be unequally yoked and would begin to impact Solomon’s walk with God.
Solomon was a righteous man who loved God. But his faithfulness mixed with faithlessness ultimately affected what mattered most. Sometimes we can mix a little compromise into our lives, as well. It slips in unnoticed. We rationalize. We put confidence in our flesh. It might be as simple as the movies or clothing we allow into our home or the company we keep. Bad company corrupts good morals, yet we convince ourselves that we will be the greater influence. So did Solomon.
At the onset of His rule, Solomon sacrificed 1,000 animals at the altar and confessed his great need for wisdom from God. This defining moment impacted his life in profound ways. Solomon simply asked God to give him wisdom, though he could have asked for anything.
1 Kings 3:9 “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
Genuine humility is so beautiful. Solomon knew He needed God to be able to lead God’s people. But alongside this humility were decisions made that are puzzling in light of the wisdom he had. Even when we are wise, we can allow the flesh to rule and make foolish decisions.
1 Kings 3:3, “Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.”
There it is again. Solomon was doing a lot of good. His heart loved God. But a little compromise in the sea of life can have devastating consequences. In the end, his devotion to God failed.
1 Kings 11:4 “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.”
Like Solomon, we do not own wisdom – we are merely recipients of wisdom who need to carry it out daily, moment by moment. Knowing it only takes one decision to change us is humbling and relieving. Even when we fail, there is hope. Our God’s mercies are new each and every morning and we can choose anew to walk in wisdom.
Survey your life. Has worldliness or compromise slipped into your life, unnoticed? Ask the LORD to reveal this to you and give you the courage to do the right thing.
Recognizing the influence of the world in our home is a constant practice and God’s grace meets us there. It is not just condemning worldliness, but living out and contributing godliness in our sphere of influence that creates a refuge in a crazy world.
Our lives are formed by many moments that shape the destiny God has for us. It only takes one prayer, one moment of turning back to God to get us back on the right path again.
In our calling to reach the world, let’s not become like the world. We can choose to live radically different lives by the grace of God and not make foolish alliances with the enemy of our souls.
LORD, help us to number our days aright that we might gain a heart of wisdom. May we stay away from compromise and see our need of You moment by moment.
