PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN ( 1 Kings 8:18 ): Father, this morning I am convicted by this verse. David desired to build a temple for the name of Yahweh, which You responded with “since it was your desire to build a temple for My name, you have done well to have this desire.” David’s heart was aligned with Yours, so his heart’s desires were of Yours as well. He did good in Your eyes by having this desire, even though You told him it would not be him that builds the temple. My heart is still not fully aligned with You, Father. I still desire many things of this world and of the flesh that I am sure are not of Your heart’s desire, Father. Please forgive me for my sinful nature, Father. Forgive me for still having a desire for many things of my flesh and of this world. Help me to stay on Your path in this life, Father, so that I will slowly but surely begin to align my heart’s desires with Your own.
PROMISE ( 1 Kings 8:19-20 ): Not only did Solomon repeat Your promise made to David many years prior, but he also expressed to Your people that another promise had been fulfilled by You! Your great works, planning, and vision made this promise of Solomon building the temple in Your name come to fulfillment and Solomon not only recognized this, but also proclaimed it to all Your people immediately after it had become fulfilled. All glory was given to You through this.
ATTITUDE ( 1 Kings 8:12-15 ): Solomon’s mindset after the temple for You was complete had nothing to do with him, glorifying himself, nor praising the people who built it. His entire mindset was to glorify You and praise You immediately after the temple’s completion. He offered a blessing to the entire congregation of Israel when it was complete and then also gave praise to You! I do not always have this attitude in my own life for accomplishments and achievements, Father. Oftentimes I look at myself first and I am sorry for that. Please help me to be more like Solomon here, Father, so that my focus is always first and foremost on You through everything that happens in my life.
COMMAND ( 1 Kings 8:19 ): Solomon spoke of the command You issued to David and, in turn, to him. You were proud and please with David for his heart’s desire to build the temple. You commanded him, though, that although You were pleased with his heart’s desire that he would not be the one to build Your temple. You commanded David that he would leave that to his son, who would replace him as king of Israel eventually. David followed through with this command by leaving it for his son to accomplish and Solomon took this on his shoulders as his very first act of obedience to You when he became king of Israel. I need to be better at living in obedience to You, Father. Continue Your great works in me, please.
EXAMPLE ( 1 Kings 8:14-21 ): In these verses, Solomon provides a great example for me to live by. When the temple You had commanded him to do was complete, he immediately gave a blessing over Your people and praised You; glorified Your kingdom through his words. He spoke Your truth into them by reminding them of where they came from, reminding them of why the temple was built, and reminding them that You fulfill Your promises. He didn’t boast and said “look what I did! Am I not almighty and powerful?!” He gave it all to You and simply acknowledged his obedience to You throughout all of it. Such an amazing example to live by.
*DAILY NOTE: Today, I decided to only do about half of the chapter in 1 Kings 8, Father. Not because I am trying to rush, but because I felt You telling me to stop right where I did instead of continuing on in this lengthy chapter. I felt You telling me to wait on doing the second half of this chapter until tomorrow. I was able to get everything from just half of today’s scripture, which shows just how amazing of a teacher You are, Father. Thank You for a great quiet time this morning and for all You have been doing and will continue to do in my life, Father.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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