Blogging Through The Season - Day 9
BLOGGING THROUGH THE ADVENT SEASON
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
DAY 9 - The Hope of Solomon
Shana Dawes
Christmas is the time of the year that we all look forward to, whether it be for gifts or time spent with family and friends. For some, the Advent season also creates an atmosphere of hope. It is filled with a time to pause, reflect and remember God’s faithfulness to His promises. Over 2000 years ago, God seeing the brokenness of humanity and how much He loved His creation, sent His son to die so that we could live. This is the hope that Christmas gives. Embedded in this hope is God’s faithfulness, as shown in the early life of Solomon---David’s son by Bathsheba. Solomon took the throne after the death of his father.
Solomon’s early story gives us hope that God is with us and that whatever we ask in His [Jesus’] name, He will do (John 14 vs. 13-14). Have you ever wanted to accomplish something but felt that you didn’t have the knowledge or experience to do it? Solomon saw himself as a “little child” lacking experience on how to perform his kingly duties; but God appeared to him in a dream and told him to ask for whatever he wanted. Solomon asked for wisdom to govern God’s people. Solomon thought not of himself but for the betterment of God’s people. As a result, God granted him the desires of his heart- wisdom- along with wealth and honor which he did not ask for. God told Solomon that if he walked uprightly and was obedient to His statues and commands, he would be granted long life (1 Kings 3 vs. 5-14).
As a young man, Solomon walked uprightly and was obedient to God’s commandments. He made worshiping God a priority and built the temple of God. However, like the rest of humanity, Solomon also faltered. Though he was faithful and committed to God at the beginning of his reign, Solomon was blinded by the things of the world and moved away from God to idolatry and fleshly lusts. Jesus being a descendant from the line of David, came from a lineage that had great faith, but also great brokenness. There was David who committed adultery with Solomon’s mother; then Solomon as king loved foreign women, and married women that God commanded him not to. These women turned his heart away from God and influenced him to worship other gods. Solomon was not wholly devoted to the true and living God anymore; he did not follow God’s commands (1 Kings 11 vs. 1-8).
When some think of King Solomon, they allude to his great wealth and wisdom. Some will only think of the mistakes he made. But even though Solomon faltered, he was not counted out. God did not discard Solomon. Despite his mistakes, God still allowed him to be counted in the genealogy of Jesus. Like Solomon, there have been times when we have faltered and moved away from God. We have allowed the things of the world to entice us and draw us away from what God has called us to do. However, the Advent season reminds us of the hope that God has sent in His Son, so that we may have life (St. John 3 vs. 16). It doesn’t matter what we did, our circumstances, our ancestry, or our past mistakes; they don’t affect how God sees us. He loves us for who we are: His creation. He showed His love for us by sending His son, Jesus, to die for us. Through the birth of Jesus, God has given hope to unbelievers that they can come to Him; and hope to the believers who have stumbled, that there is redemption.
During this Advent season, know that God is with you. You can do all things through Christ; there is nothing impossible for you, as long you have hope in Him. Like Solomon, approach the Lord with humility and obedience to His Words and He will reward you with the desires of your heart. He will enable you to do what you have been called to do. As we take time to pause and reflect, let us hold on to God’s faithfulness. Like young Solomon, if we walk according to God’s ways and keep his commandments, we will prosper in whatever we do. However, if we stumble, let us remember that we have a hope in Jesus, and the knowledge that God has not counted us out, but is waiting for us to return to Him. Today, I encourage you to reflect on Solomon’s words of wisdom in Ecclesiastes 9 vs. 4 “Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!”
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
DAY 9 - The Hope of Solomon
Shana Dawes
Christmas is the time of the year that we all look forward to, whether it be for gifts or time spent with family and friends. For some, the Advent season also creates an atmosphere of hope. It is filled with a time to pause, reflect and remember God’s faithfulness to His promises. Over 2000 years ago, God seeing the brokenness of humanity and how much He loved His creation, sent His son to die so that we could live. This is the hope that Christmas gives. Embedded in this hope is God’s faithfulness, as shown in the early life of Solomon---David’s son by Bathsheba. Solomon took the throne after the death of his father.
Solomon’s early story gives us hope that God is with us and that whatever we ask in His [Jesus’] name, He will do (John 14 vs. 13-14). Have you ever wanted to accomplish something but felt that you didn’t have the knowledge or experience to do it? Solomon saw himself as a “little child” lacking experience on how to perform his kingly duties; but God appeared to him in a dream and told him to ask for whatever he wanted. Solomon asked for wisdom to govern God’s people. Solomon thought not of himself but for the betterment of God’s people. As a result, God granted him the desires of his heart- wisdom- along with wealth and honor which he did not ask for. God told Solomon that if he walked uprightly and was obedient to His statues and commands, he would be granted long life (1 Kings 3 vs. 5-14).
As a young man, Solomon walked uprightly and was obedient to God’s commandments. He made worshiping God a priority and built the temple of God. However, like the rest of humanity, Solomon also faltered. Though he was faithful and committed to God at the beginning of his reign, Solomon was blinded by the things of the world and moved away from God to idolatry and fleshly lusts. Jesus being a descendant from the line of David, came from a lineage that had great faith, but also great brokenness. There was David who committed adultery with Solomon’s mother; then Solomon as king loved foreign women, and married women that God commanded him not to. These women turned his heart away from God and influenced him to worship other gods. Solomon was not wholly devoted to the true and living God anymore; he did not follow God’s commands (1 Kings 11 vs. 1-8).
When some think of King Solomon, they allude to his great wealth and wisdom. Some will only think of the mistakes he made. But even though Solomon faltered, he was not counted out. God did not discard Solomon. Despite his mistakes, God still allowed him to be counted in the genealogy of Jesus. Like Solomon, there have been times when we have faltered and moved away from God. We have allowed the things of the world to entice us and draw us away from what God has called us to do. However, the Advent season reminds us of the hope that God has sent in His Son, so that we may have life (St. John 3 vs. 16). It doesn’t matter what we did, our circumstances, our ancestry, or our past mistakes; they don’t affect how God sees us. He loves us for who we are: His creation. He showed His love for us by sending His son, Jesus, to die for us. Through the birth of Jesus, God has given hope to unbelievers that they can come to Him; and hope to the believers who have stumbled, that there is redemption.
During this Advent season, know that God is with you. You can do all things through Christ; there is nothing impossible for you, as long you have hope in Him. Like Solomon, approach the Lord with humility and obedience to His Words and He will reward you with the desires of your heart. He will enable you to do what you have been called to do. As we take time to pause and reflect, let us hold on to God’s faithfulness. Like young Solomon, if we walk according to God’s ways and keep his commandments, we will prosper in whatever we do. However, if we stumble, let us remember that we have a hope in Jesus, and the knowledge that God has not counted us out, but is waiting for us to return to Him. Today, I encourage you to reflect on Solomon’s words of wisdom in Ecclesiastes 9 vs. 4 “Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!”
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1 Comment
Very profound Sis Shana. Indeed, there is HOPE in the Lord! Solomon's narrative is a fitting symbolism of the worldly wisdom, wealth and other lusts that we need to exchange for Hope. If the aforementioned could save us, then they would have saved Solomon. His declaration that "All is vanity", and that we should "Fear God and give glory to Him" is the sum total of all His wisdom and yes, HOPE.