-May 2, 2023-
Good morning, happy Tuesday,
“Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: ‘I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that do and wherever you turn.”
(1 Kings 2:1-3).
Not only did David give his last words to his people Israel, but he gave instructions to his beloved son Solomon. David taught Solomon all through his life, but with death just ahead, he gave him great advice to follow that all of us can benefit from. A father is a leader, guide, teacher, and encourager. It is a huge responsibility.
David wanted to leave Solomon with words that would set him and keep on the the right path to success and prosperity in his life and in his rule. The word charged can be translated commanded. It goes beyond a suggestion or an advisement, it was a strong, mandatory directive from the Lord. He tells him first to, “be strong and prove yourself a man.” He made no mention of being a warrior as he was, but to be a godly man, a family man. This mattered most. How we live in our homes with our spouses and children is where our true legacy is established and left.
If Solomon followed his dad’s instructions, the promise was, “that you may prosper in all that you do, and wherever you turn.” Blessing always follows obedience to the Lord. Solomon found this out. In his younger days he obeyed and honored the Lord. God gave him peace, rest, wisdom, and prosperity in abundance. But later in life, his wives took away his heart from following the Lord and he worshipped idols and dishonored the Lord. He came to be called a king with a divided heart which led to a divided kingdom under his son Rehoboam.
God told Eli the priest in his day, “…I said, indeed your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the Lord says: Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Samuel 2:30). Unless we honor God and put Him first in our lives, we will fall flat.
The three words from David to Solomon were clear: walk, keep, and prosper; to walk in the ways of the Lord, that is, to do His will; to keep the law, which is obedience to God’s Word; and to prosper in all that we do and wherever we turn. It is a simple recipe to follow with these three important ingredients. The question for us is: are we following our own recipe or God’s? Walk, keep, prosper. Solomon advised his sons and us in Proverbs 2:20, “So that you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the path of righteousness.”
Have a blessed day following the Lord and honoring Him in all we do and say. Stay safe and healthy.
Walking, keeping, and prospering in the Lord,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 