1 Kings 3:3
“Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.”
Falling in love. It’s the greatest feeling of all. It brings you so high in your emotions, so deeply concerned for the person, and so widely open to endless hopes. It’s so powerful it makes your heart helpless and uncontrollable, thus the ‘falling’ suggests. You can’t eat, can’t sleep, can’t work - - so it’s fatal too, hahaha. Every second seems to revolve around that person. Your thoughts are filled with him - - every word he said, every move he made, even details of how he looked that day. Yes, I can still vividly remember how Tris and I climbed that big tree in UP lagoon eight years ago. He could have literally fallen because of me. But up there with him, I just knew I’d do and give and be everything for him. Anything to please him. I emailed Tris a picture of that tree just now. Brings back beautiful memories…. and promises made.
Whenever we hear the name Solomon, what usually follows is that we remember his wisdom and his wives (fyi: 700 official wives, 300 concubines!!). Only now did I realize we’re missing out one big word that defines him, one that came before his fame and big family - - LOVE. That’s right, I’m quite surprised myself. His parents may have given him a name which means peace, appropriately because of their restored fellowship with God, but then God sent Nathan to give him the name Jedidiah, meaning ‘loved by the Lord’. From peace to love, such grace! And he sure saw the full extent of that love when he was chosen to be next to the throne. Overwhelmed with that favor, we read now in verse three that ‘Solomon showed his love to the Lord’. He loved because God loved him first. He loved and so he walked according to the statutes. But like the rest of mankind, he allowed many things to come in between of that first love. Marrying Pharaoh’s daughter could just be political and sacrificing to the high places may be the norm that time, but how could he not see that it is far from the pleasure of his Beloved? Where was that promise of doing and giving and being everything for Him? Quite sad that we only remember him now as the Wise. Without love, isn’t everything meaningless?
When was the last time you felt so inloved with the Lord? And now? Has it been years or months? What stood in between? Are you really that busy with work that you completely forgot your ‘dates’ with Him? Did you found someone better? You sure? Did He love you less? Impossible. Try to go back to that time you first promised love to Him. Think about Him. What were His words to you? What did He do just for you? And what did you promise back? We’ve been carrying His name everyday - - saying we’re Christians and all - - but how many times we preferred to be called Dr., Atty., Prof., Sir, Mrs., etc? Even the wisest who ever lived said such were vain efforts, and so he ended Ecclesiastes with these words: ‘Fear God and keep his commands’. Uhm, where is love there? Jesus gave us the answer: ‘If you love me, obey my commands’. Ready to go back to your first love? If you’re having a hard time remembering when was your special time with Him - - look at the cross! That’s how special you are to Him!
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