Just As


"So I am planning to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God, just as he had instructed my father David. For the Lord told him, 'Your son, whom I will place on your throne, will build the Temple to honor my name.' ... When Hiram received Solomon's message, he was very pleased and said, 'Praise the Lord today for giving David a wise son to be king of the great nation of Israel.' ... So the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as he had promised. And Hiram and Solomon made a formal alliance of peace." I Kings 5:5,7,12

Recently, I had a day where on three occasions I stopped to reconsider doing what I had told others that I would do that day. The activities I had planned grew to be what felt like big distractions to that which was now the pressing need. Over and over and over again the words of Jesus ran through my mind. Specifically, "Let your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no'." I had to keep telling myself to do just as I said I would do. At the end of the day, no regrets.

This scene in I Kings 5 records the amazing interaction of two kings, Solomon, King of Israel and Hiram, King of Tyre. The potential for conflict between these two was very high, but instead they formed a mutually beneficial alliance. Solomon did just as God had instructed in building the temple. Hiram recognized his wisdom confirming that God had indeed kept his promise to give Solomon wisdom just as he said he would. 

God will always do just as he said he would. It's his nature. He doesn't play games. He doesn't get distracted. He doesn't make promises that he cannot keep. There is much to commend "just as" living. Solomon discovered that to be true. The joy for us is that we can too! We can, with God's help, do just as he instructs us to do. We can lean into both his presence and his promises. The only question is, "Will we?" 

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