Articles
The Lord is God
"And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near the LORD our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day may require, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other” (1 Kings 8:59-60).
This is one of Solomon’s finest moments. God has fulfilled the wishes of his father David. Israel has gathered to dedicate the temple and to offer thanksgivings to God. At the close of the prayer fire from heaven consumed the offerings and sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the house. The ceremony was followed by sacrifice on a scale of unusual grandeur. It was a great day!
Perhaps you’ve had a day in your lifetime when you realized the completion of a lofty goal. If not, you surely have dreams of the future. Such aspirations are valuable because they energize us to reach for greater heights. Solomon was living the dream of his father David.
Our goals may be found in various arenas of life: our job, our family, our neighborhood, our church. Some dreams are very personal, others involve family or community. The noblest ambitions are those that will benefit our fellows.
These goals must be guided by the word of God. Solomon entreats Israel, "Let your heart therefore be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day" (1 Kings 8:61). God has given us a road map to follow. We can only be successful when our desires follow the path given by our Creator.
All of our ambitions must be tempered by God’s purposes. We have been placed in this world by a master craftsman and wonderfully made in His image. Our Creator designed us for a heavenly purpose. Solomon targets that purpose with these words: that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other (1 Kings 8:59-60).
We were born to manifest the glory of God. If our aspirations are in harmony with God’s, our light will shine and others will glorify Him as well.
