Good Morning Friends,
“The people of Judah and Israel were as
numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy.
And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the
Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and
were Solomon’s subjects all his life. Solomon’s daily provisions were thirty
cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal, ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty
of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles,
roebucks and choice fowl. For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the River,
from Tiphsah to Gaza, and had peace on all sides. During Solomon’s lifetime Judah
and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, each man under his own vine
and fig tree.” (1 Kings 4:20-25)
For the people of Israel, the reign of Solomon
was a time of wonderful peace and prosperity. From outward appearances it would
seem that Solomon must have been a very great king. The truth is that Solomon
did have great wisdom and used that wisdom as he ruled the nation of Israel. He
did contribute to the peace and prosperity of Israel.
But it is also true that the peace and
prosperity that Israel knew in Solomon’s day was to a great extent the result
of the godliness, wisdom, and efforts of Solomon’s father, David. David passed
on to Solomon a kingdom that was in great shape. David was a man of war, but
the kingdom he left to Solomon was a nation at peace. Solomon reaped the
benefit of his father’s faith, his father’s work, and his father’s example.
As I considered that today the question that
came to my mind was … what are my children reaping from the faith I’ve shown
them in my life, from the work I’ve done, and from the example I’ve set for
them?
How about asking that same question about your
own life and the benefits your children are reaping or will reap from the
foundation you’ve laid for their lives?
David was dead at this point in Solomon’s life.
David had no more opportunity to show faith to Solomon, to work for Solomon’s
benefit, or to provide any different or additional example to Solomon. He was
finished and Solomon was reaping the benefit of what had already been done. For
you, the story isn’t over, yet. Though some of our children are already adults,
still God has given us additional opportunities to pour into their lives … and
into the lives of our grandchildren … that from which they can reap benefits in
the years ahead. What benefits will our
children and grandchildren reap from us?
His, by Grace,
Steve
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