May 27th 2012

May 27^th 2012

Solomon Is Lead Astray

1 Kings 11

After yesterday's readings, the outcome of today's reading doesn't seem too far off. The line from yesterday that sets up today nicely is in the last stanza, "Come away, my lover" because this is exactly what Solomon did, he went away. He took a thousand foreign lovers, and with each one his relationship with God dwindled. He was warned not to take on foreign wives, because they would lead him astray, but he did not listen and in the end he even built worship sites for his foreign gods.

Even though I understand that in this case, the word "foreign" meant stranger to God, as I was reading this, every time I read the word "foreign" all I could think about was how today at Church a passage from the Bible was beautifully read in many different languages. God is universal. He loves and is loved in every language and in every culture, and I couldn't help questioning why Solomon had left his God instead of trying to lead his wives to God. God gave Solomon everything, in His name and for the sake of David, not the gods of his wives. In fact, it can be said that without God, and without his kingdom, Solomon would not have had the opportunity to have a thousand foreign wives/concubines. At first, Solomon's abandonment of God completely baffled me. How could he turn away from God and all His love? Then I figured it out. He found the love of his wives and that love started to replace God in his heart.

Love is a tricky thing, and is as universal as God is. If we're being completely honest with ourselves, it is so easy to find the love of another more important than the love of God, whether it's the love of a spouse, of a significant other, of a parent, a child, or a friend. It's so easy because it's super convenient. Another person is so easy to relate to, so easy to hug, easy to talk to and easy to listen to. This is the tricky part. It can seem, at times, that another person can give more comfort than God because they can hug you. You can see their face as they listen to you speak. You have an actual, tangible relationship with someone, and for most people it is sadly what is the most important. Close your eyes and ears and ignore your sensory receptions and what is left? Love. I'm not trying to belittle the love of two people in any way, because if God wanted us lonely he would have just made Adam and no Eve. I am, however, trying to point out that even though God can't physically hug you, He can't personally materialize and give you a shoulder to lean on, He can be there for you in the most important way. He is the eternal love that is there for you if only you seek Him out.

Solomon could easily have led his wives to God. He was king, after all. He could have had all his wives converted. He obviously loved them, but he sadly lost sight of the fact that without God's love, there is nothing. As Solomon put his love for his wives in the forefront of his heart, God got pushed back. Obviously Solomon felt the emptiness of God's departure from his heart, because he misguidedly tried to fill that void with more wives and with the gods of his wives. And in the end, he lost everything.

The message we can take from this is simple, we can love others with all our hearts, but it is important to realize that that love is through a love of God. As you think about this, I hope you can recognize God's work in your relationships with other people.

I hope the rest of your Memorial Day Weekend is great!

Gina