Setting Up to Be Blessed

1 Kings 1-2     2 Chronicles 1-2    Psalm 31     1 John 1-2

While a renegade son tries to claim the throne, David anoints Solomon to be king after the plot is found and brought to Bathsheba. This is a battle for power and shows the intrigue that usually comes transitions. The challenge is always for those with integrity to find a way to lead while those that use deception attempt to gather the more people and assume power. The cost paid here is death to those that plot evil.

When David dies Solomon is on David’s throne and those that had tried to take that power were looking for ways to survive, undermine the king and still to gain power. Solomon puts to death those that would plot against him. As Solomon consolidates his power the Lord asks what Solomon what he would like God to give him. One of those profound insights of Solomon is to ask for wisdom and knowledge, or the ability to wisely see the truth and act in the way that brings God glory. The result is that not only does God answer in the affirmative but grants what most would seek first, fame, wealth and power.

Solomon makes it clear that he knows he is unworthy of what has been assigned to him to build a house for the Lord. He shows his wisdom by calling those that are skilled in each of the areas that will need to be led for the kingdom of Israel and God. He organizes the people to bring out their talents to be used for the Lord.

David’s song today was one of the constants in his life for he sought to trust in the Lord even when he couldn’t see clearly what the future held, or his own sin had cost him and his people dearly. We are called to trust God at all times and to offer forgiveness when we confess our wrongdoing before him. This is a song of contrasts between the good and evil of the world claiming what those of us of faith believe, that God will prevail in the end.

John’s call to the early church to follow the way of God, seek out truth in all things and to confess sin was a call to be what Jesus had called the church to be. He points out this is for God’s benefit, that his glory would be the result and the purpose of right living. There is the constant struggle between the ways of the Lord and the ways of the world, called that because it is the way of the masses.

John makes clear that unless we are a perfect reflection of Jesus we come up short and need to confess our shortcomings and seek to move closer to God’s way. When we do we will be anointed with the Holy Spirit and draw those seeking God’s way to us.

All of the readings today point to the need to learn God’s ways, follow those directions and the blessings we receive for our faithfulness. Too often we seek out the short-term pleasure of this world that mean we don’t experience the blessings of God’s creation.