As I read through today's reading I couldn't help but see how many of these laws were blatantly broken by many Godly people in stories we will see in future readings. But there is one person I would like to take a look at today: Solomon!!!
At the beginning of our reading today we see laws set up for the future Kings of Israel. One of them is the following:
"He must not take many wives or his heart will be lead astray." Deut 17:17
We see the truth of this rule lived out in Solomon, who was the wisest King to ever live.
"He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 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." 1 King 11:3-4
What was his problem? How could he, the wisest man to ever live, fail? It's simple; he's human and he failed to follow one simple law that was given to help him to remember all others.
"He is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priest, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left." Deut 17:18-20
He was to read the law, write it down, and reread it every single day of his life. I am sure he probably started off strong. He was excited at the beginning of his journey as King to be obedient. But something happened as time went on. He became comfortable, complacent, wise in his own eyes. People sought him for wisdom; he didn't really need to read that little scroll every single day. Some day's he became very busy with his work, family, politics, the list goes on and on. Eventually he just came to rely on what he thought knew. Unfortunately for him it caused him to loose sight of why God had given him these commands in the first place, to protect him. To keep him focused on his calling. To not be led astray!
Sometimes we look at laws, rules, commands – as barriers that prevent us from truly living. Sometimes we look at them as just mere guidelines for us to use in determining how to best live our lives. But God's word, all his instructions and teachings, have been given to us to protect us - to allow us to have a good and prosperous life.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Just like the kings of Israel we have been commanded to keep the word of God with us every day of our lives to guide and protect us – to keep us from being led astray.
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deut 6: 6-9
My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding your kinsman. Proverbs 7:1-4
By making the commitment to be a part of this one-year bible reading you have taken a great step of obedience in making God's word a part and priority of your life. It is your way of binding it on your forehead, making a symbol on your hands, and writing it on the tablet of your heart. Like Solomon, when you feel your life getting busy or when you start to feel discouraged in your journey to read the bible this year just remember that it is an investment in your future and way to protect your heart from snares you don't even realize have been set for you. It will guide you through whatever is going on in your life – through both the seen and unseen things.
God has a plan for our lives. If we don't stop and read the blueprint then how will we ever know how to build our life the way he designed us to be?
Don't be discouraged, don't loose heart. God has good things in store for us; let's keep his word as the apple of our eyes.
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