He that followeth after righteousness and mercy Findeth life, righteousness, and honour. Proverbs 21:21 KJV
We read the words of the wisest man of his time, according to God's view. You may not like all of Solomon's decisions and actions, but you cannot fault the wisdom behind his words. God gave him wisdom simply because He asked for it, along with riches and honour beyond his wildest dreams, simply because He got his priorities right. Therein is my first lesson from the life of Solomon: God answers prayers. His response is secondary to the fact that he hears and answers. Too many times, we are caught in the No he says, and do not appreciate the fatherly care that is available to us at all times.
If we can only see how much love God has for us, we won't be too bothered about the things we do not yet have. Therein lies the second lesson: if I get my priorities right, I get more than I can ever ask for. There is a standing point of order that has been laid out in the Bible: 'God is able to do exceeding abundantly far above all we can ever ask or imagine'. It is within God's prerogative to match and exceed all that I could ever request from him, but the secret, just like Solomon, is in knowing what God can bless and where He is at work at present. You can never go wrong.
That is true from today's extract. Mercy and righteousness are God's nature; they reflect who He is, and of course what He does and demands from all who choose to follow Him. Following after God means I embrace all He demands from me, without question. I do not seek to do my will, but His. I do not pick and choose that which makes me comfortable, but I choose to follow Him wholeheartedly, taking him up on his offer of help and salvation. I follow after, not lead. I don't know the right way by myself; I need the help and guidance of the One called the Way, the Truth and the Life. I don't insist on my rights; I allow God rule and reign in and through my life, so that men can come willingly to the saving knowledge of Jesus.
When I do the above, i get more than I put in. When I follow after God's nature, I get all of him. When I have all of Him, what else do I need? When I get back his kind of life, as well as righteousness and honour, what could be bigger or better than these? When earthly and the eternal life are fully sorted, pray, what else in between matters? If He has sealed honour for me in this life, what can man give me that can match that which God gives? It is very important for me to sort out what is really important to me, so that I can focus and pursue right. My pursuits and priorities are a reflection of my life's focus. They must be right, if I will end up in the right place. God's time of favour is here.
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