The Joy of Glory

1 Kings 11:1-13 (click here)
For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. (1 Kings 11:4)

Reflection
Complacent.

If we are honest, it is so easy to become complacent. I can fall into complacency so quickly as a husband and a father. I’ll think to myself that I do a good job pursuing my wife and playing with my kids… so it won’t matter if today I’m lazy after work and take this one day for just me.

And one day turns into two. Two becomes three. And before I know it… complacency has taken me so far from where I began.

This was the slippery slope that King Solomon slid down in his latter days. It was “when he was old” that his wives turned his heart away from the Lord. He had been so faithful throughout his life! I mean head built the temple, poured out wisdom from on high, and reigned over Israel in unprecedented peace.

And complacency set in as he let one foreign bride after another bring her gods into his home. Before long, he was occasionally going through her worship practices alongside her… you know… just to be a good husband.

By the time all was said and done, the man who had once built the temple of God was building worship sites for nearly any god he was told existed.

None of this was the fault of his wives! We don’t even have time to talk about Solomon’s folly for practicing polygamy, but the text places responsibility for Solomon’s sin squarely on his shoulders alone, and God holds him accountable!

He had become complacent… where it counted the most!

And this can be so easy for us as well! Especially if we have been walking with the Lord for a long time and are entering our “Old age” as a believer. We can so easily think, “What does it matter if I don’t pray for one day… or skip reading my Bible… or worshiping together with other believers?”

And one day turns into two. Two becomes three. And before I know it… complacency has taken me so far from where I began.

I’m not promoting some kind of legalism in which I aim to shame you for not reading your Bible or attending church enough! Not at all! I’m aiming at a love relationship where you passionately pursue the Lord through the means he has given you because you don’t want to become complacent… you want to be connected!

If we are honest, it is so easy to become complacent… especially where it counts the most… in our relationship with Christ.

Let’s all say death to complacency today! Death to complacency right now! In this moment, through this word… let’s all pursue closer connection with Christ!

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.