Thought for October 7

 History:

  • 1765: Stamp Act Congress convenes in NYC to protest British Stamp Act
  • 1806: Carbon paper patented
  • 1857: Charles Spurgeon preaches to 23,000+ at the Crystal Palace
  • 1868: Cornell University opens
  • 1873: Lottie Moon arrives in China
  • 1916: Georgia Tech coached by John Heisman defeats Cumberland 222-0
  • 1919: KLM Airlines established
  • 1931: First infra-red photograph
  • 1950: US invades North Korea crossing 38th parallel
  • 1952: First "Bandstand" broadcast in Philadelphia [Dick Clark joins in 1955]
  • 1959: Far side of the moon seen for the first time--Soviet Lunar 3
  • 1960: "Route 66" premiers
  • 1963: Hurricane Flora kills over 7,000 in Haiti and Dominican Republic
  • 1968: Film rating system adopted
  • 1971: "The French Connection" premiers
  • 1991: Anita Hill accuses Clarence Thomas of inappropriate sexual comments
  • 1993: Toni Morrison receives Nobel Prize for Literature
  • 1996: Fox News launched
  • 2001: US invasion of Afghanistan begins
  • Born: Uncle Dave Macon, Niels Bohr, Elijah Muhammad [Nation of Islam], Heinrich Himmler, Andy Devine, James Webb [NASA], June Allyson, Desmond Tutu, Oliver North, John Mellencamp, Vladimir Putin, Yo-Yo Ma, Jayne Torville [Torville/Dean Olympic Gold], Simon Crowell, Charles Woodson, 
  • Died: George Mason, Edgar Allan Poe, Christy Mathewson [HOF], Willis Carrier [air conditioning], Clarence Birdseye [frozen food], Leo Durocher, Shelby Singleton [Mercury Records], George Webb [wrote the music for "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus"] 
Thought:
Reading 1 Kings 3 this morning. A familiar story when God asks Solomon a question and Solomon gives the right answer. God asks Solomon "Ask what you wish Me to give you." [3:5] What would you say if God asked you that question today? Every time I read this I think about Larry as a boy. We were not wealthy, but never in want. Christmas would come with the arrival of the Sears catalogue. And then my parents would ask, "what do you want for Christmas." Well, I would dog-ear many pages of that catalogue with my list of what I wanted. Now I think about today, when family asks what do you want for Christmas. I don't have a list of anything--I do not need anything or really want anything. As I wrote a few days ago, I want us to be together and to talk and laugh and have fun. So here is Solomon with the God of all creation asking what do you wish I would give you? 

Solomon answers in 3:9--"give your servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people to discern between good and evil." We call this "wisdom." Consider what Solomon asks for:
  • First Solomon affirms that he is a servant of God. God is the master, Solomon the king is the servant. This is a good example. Before I ask God for anything, I need to acknowledge that He is God and I am His servant. That understanding drives everything I ask for. So I ask for things that will allow me to serve my Master better, give my Master glory, please my Master. This simple exercise removes a whole lot of pages from the Sears catalogue---things that are for my pleasure, my glory, my goals, my position, my power. Maybe I should start every prayer with that understanding--my prayers are not about me, they are about how I can be His witness, His soldier, His servant and give Him glory and honor. 
  • Second Solomon asks for something to benefit others. Help me judge the people well. It is almost like Solomon knew the two great commandments. First, he loves God and wants to serve Him. Then, he loves the people and wants to serve them. Where are leaders like that today? 
  • Third, Solomon wants to be able to recognize good and evil, right and wrong. Isn't that what we should be asking for? Lord, help me clearly see and not be deceived about what is right and what is wrong. Don't let me fall victim to the schemes of Satan. Don't let me be fooled by my eyes or ears or popularity or position or power or pleasure.
And notice that Matthew 6:33 was operating in Solomon's time. "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you." Solomon asked for kingdom things first and then in 3:13, God adds everything else--riches and honor so there will be no kings like you. So I guess I should understand that when God asks what I want, I should answer, Lord I want your kingdom to come through me, I want your righteousness to be demonstrated in my life, I want things that help others know and love You, I want to walk in Your Way---and God will be faithful to give me everything else I need.

Blessings
Larry


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