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Use What You've Got

Living in poverty makes a person resourceful. That's how I learned to throw epic birthday parties for my kids using what I found around the house (solo cup games, homemade pinjatas, and baking cupcakes for the win!)

On the other end, sometimes, when we live in abundance of something, it sits in a drawer, unused—(can anyone say, "junk drawer"?)

In this week's episode we remember how Solomon asked God for wisdom—and got it all: wisdom, wealth, the whole 9 cubits. But then, he put some of God's wisdom in a massive inner junk drawer, possibly thinking, "I may need it some day."

Oh, Solomon.

This week we meditate on how Solomon lived out wisdom and consider our own habits of holiness.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE

Read

Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

14 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” 15 be sure to appoint over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite.16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.”17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

18 When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. 19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees20 and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

Reflect

What did the Spirit highlight for you from this passage?

Solomon did almost everything this Scripture said not to do. He acquired many wives, many horse, and many piles of gold. You see, he didn't meditate on this instruction of God like God told the kings to do.

Just like Solomon, it is so important for us to meditate on— and live—God's Word.

What is a favorite Bible verse of yours?

What does it look like to live out that Bible verse in your life today? What might you need to think, say, or do?

Let's live the wisdom of God—not just know about it.

Pray

Pray about your reflections above or anything else the Spirit brings to mind.

Story of the Gospel Connection

Many have heard about Jesus, but don't believe and follow Him. As Isaiah the prophet wrote, "Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?" (Is. 53:1)

It is one thing to know the ways of God, but another thing to follow. Solomon knew a lot of wisdom, but it appears some wisdom he chose to stuff into his inner junk drawer.

Take a moment to pray for yourself and those you know—to not just know ABOUT Jesus, but to believe with all their heart—and follow.