“King Solomon had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they turned the heart of Solomon away from the Lord.”
1 Kings 11:3
Have you ever made a bad choice? I mean an intentional choice knowing it was sinful and disobedient, yet, you were going to do it anyways? Undoubtedly, the choice that had the biggest consequence in history took place in the Garden of Eden between Adam and Eve. Note that Eve sinned because she was deceived; however Adam chose to sin despite knowing better. Likewise, this demonstrates that we too can sin because we are deceived—or we willfully and knowingly sin despite knowing better. It’s happened to the greatest Kings, Presidents and leaders throughout history, as well as the common, everyday “Joe and Jane” in life.King Solomon was no different. He was the wisest man to ever live or ever will live. However, as wise as Solomon was, he made some very foolish choices. God told Solomon not to marry any foreign wife, but only a wife who worshipped and served the God of Israel. However, Solomon knowingly and willfully disobeyed the Lord and he paid the consequences for it. Seven hundred wives and 300 concubines later, Solomon paid the consequences for choosing to disobey God. His disobedience had a lasting impact on the people of Israel. Read the verse again, especially the last sentence. Heartbreaking!“And in fact, they (the wives and concubines) turned the heart of Solomon away from the Lord.”It is true: “You reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow, and you reap later than you sow.” Yes, God stands ready to forgive and restore; however, He doesn’t remove the consequences to our stubborn and willful disobedience. Don’t go there! Don’t do it! The price to pay isn’t worth it for you and the ones you love.Later, towards the end of Solomon's life, he penned this conclusion. It’s found in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14:“Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.”Did you catch it?
- Fear God!
- Obey His Commands!
To fear God means to have a holy reverence and awe-inspiring respect for God. Reserve the use of the word “Awesome” only for Him. Don’t cheapen that word. There is nothing more awe-inspiring than God.Be obedient. Do what God tells you to do. Open the Bible and read it. It’s His love letter and life’s road map for you. Don’t question it. Don’t ask why. Don’t rationalize it. Simply obey what He says to do.The choice is simple. Turn your heart towards God today. Don’t wait. Don’t procrastinate. Choose life in Christ. Choose holiness. Choose to follow Him and His commands. Come as you are. God stands ready with arms open wide just for you.Be Worth Being,KevinSUBSCRIBE TO "OVER THE HUMP" DEVOTIONALKevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 39 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.
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