September 17, 2021 | I Kings 11

Read 1 Kings 11

Scripture- 1 Kings 11:4- 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.

Observation- How did this happen? After everything that God had done for Solomon, how did his heart turn to follow false gods? He did what God told him not to do. He married foreign wives. They introduced false gods and wanted to worship their false gods. At first, he resisted the gods, then he tolerated them, then he rationalized them. Sin is a slippery slope. 

Application- If I’m honest, I tend to think that I’m stronger than I am. I think I can handle temptation and allow it to be around. Solomon is a great reminder for me of the slippery slope that temptation is. If I allow it to hang around I will at first resist it, but soon I will tolerate it, and then I will eventually rationalize it. Then I will be like Solomon building in my life false gods and sin. If Solomon shows me anything, it is my constant need for God’s grace and his mercy. It’s the constant need of being renewed in my Savior’s love and forgiveness. It’s his love for me that motivates my love for him. 

Prayer- Father, it is so easy to justify my sin, but I don’t want to build my life on it. I want to build my life on you and your love. Thank you for your unconditional love for me through Jesus. Let me grow in that love so that my love for you may increase. Guard my heart from tolerating and rationalizing sin today. Instead, fill me with a desire to live for you. Amen.