Today's readings are 1 Kings 2.1-27 and 1 Corinthians 13.1-13.
As we read in 1 Kings today we see David's reign end and Solomon's reign begin. This transition takes on a very negative tone, as David instructs Solomon to do away with David's enemies, then Solomon, offended by his brother Adonijah, has him put to death. I wonder if we see a common theme emerging here? It seems that our fallen human nature craves power and revenge. We want to have things our way. We want things on our own timetable. We don't want to allow any rivals to our power or glory. When we are challenged, if it is left entirely up to us, we tend to respond as forcefully as may be needed to get our own way.
Thankfully the Lord has not given many of us the kind of power David or Solomon had. Thankfully the Lord forms familial bonds for most of us, at least hindering us from harming our close relatives. Thankfully we are restrained by civil laws and by community standards. Without those restraining factors we might find ourselves acting quite differently than we do. We might just act on those dark impulses we have. We might do whatever it takes to get what we want when we want it.
Of course, what we want is a very complicated situation. For instance, I both want to eat everything that seems tasty and to remain healthy. My desires are in conflict with one another. I have to balance them. I tend toward the eating side, but really I do exercise self-control, at least sometimes. The parents of small children really do want to sleep at night. What do they normally do when the small children are hungry and crying in the middle of the night? They put down their desires for sleep and fulfill their desire that their children will be well fed and comfortable. The list could go on and on. We have desires that conflict with one another. The Lord has put us into situations that help us control our fulfillment of those desires, for his glory and the good of our neighbors. And sometimes we exercise that control.
Are we going to do it right? One look at Romans chapter 7 ought to point out to us that we don't. Yet we also see there that our Lord is abundant in mercy. He uses means, including those conflicting desires, to bring us to repentance and change our desires to those which are pleasing to him.
As we read in 1 Kings today we see David's reign end and Solomon's reign begin. This transition takes on a very negative tone, as David instructs Solomon to do away with David's enemies, then Solomon, offended by his brother Adonijah, has him put to death. I wonder if we see a common theme emerging here? It seems that our fallen human nature craves power and revenge. We want to have things our way. We want things on our own timetable. We don't want to allow any rivals to our power or glory. When we are challenged, if it is left entirely up to us, we tend to respond as forcefully as may be needed to get our own way.
Thankfully the Lord has not given many of us the kind of power David or Solomon had. Thankfully the Lord forms familial bonds for most of us, at least hindering us from harming our close relatives. Thankfully we are restrained by civil laws and by community standards. Without those restraining factors we might find ourselves acting quite differently than we do. We might just act on those dark impulses we have. We might do whatever it takes to get what we want when we want it.
Of course, what we want is a very complicated situation. For instance, I both want to eat everything that seems tasty and to remain healthy. My desires are in conflict with one another. I have to balance them. I tend toward the eating side, but really I do exercise self-control, at least sometimes. The parents of small children really do want to sleep at night. What do they normally do when the small children are hungry and crying in the middle of the night? They put down their desires for sleep and fulfill their desire that their children will be well fed and comfortable. The list could go on and on. We have desires that conflict with one another. The Lord has put us into situations that help us control our fulfillment of those desires, for his glory and the good of our neighbors. And sometimes we exercise that control.
Are we going to do it right? One look at Romans chapter 7 ought to point out to us that we don't. Yet we also see there that our Lord is abundant in mercy. He uses means, including those conflicting desires, to bring us to repentance and change our desires to those which are pleasing to him.
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Dave Spotts
blogging at http://capnsaltyslongvoyage.blogspot.com
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