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Current Schemes, Disobedience, and a Father's Pain
Current Schemes, Disobedience, and a Father’s Pain
“Now the LORD was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what the LORD had commanded.”
My kids are growing up…seriously. One is past college, two are at college and one is on the way to college. That leaves me with less than half at home full-time. Less than half! You would think mathematically that this would mean then also that there is less than half the worry. But, somehow motherhood math is different than what they teach in the books. Half the number of kids at home, for me, multiplies out and means double the worry. If you would prefer, we can use a nicer word choice…like concern, but the energy my heart puts into concern for those babies of mine is best described as worry.
I sacrificed Mountain Dew and coffee while nurturing them in the womb. My body paid dearly for their births. I wrapped them up and brought them home. I feed them and wiped hundreds of gooey liquids out of creases and crevices for them…sometimes with my breath held…sometimes with my eyes shut. I read them countless stories and picked up literally tons of toys and play-day aftermath. I rocked them and patted them and walked them into sleepy comfort. I cried for them and prayed over them…and I still do.
Band aids and magic “make it feel better” cream and kisses on boo boos are not the tool of my trade any longer. Well, surprisingly they still are sometimes. But for the most part, the pains and injuries of my now more grown children have far more to do with broken hearts, confused minds, and just plain raking-through-the-coals. Watching their skin bleed was so painful for me. However, that simple kind of pain does not even begin to compare to the pain in a parent’s heart when their children are wounded mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. The point is, like all mothers, I have something very special invested in my children. They are literally part of me, and yet…I love them more than me.
And so does He. Twice He made the special effort to remind Solomon regarding the choices he was making. Aside from all the everyday guidance and nurturing…twice He made special personal confrontations to warn Solomon of the weaknesses of his own personality so as to protect him from undesired outcomes. And yet, Solomon did not obey. God specifically told Solomon to stay away from other gods and idols. He told him to completely avoid women from other countries that served other idols because they would turn his heart. But warnings were not observed and obedience was broken.
At first it was probably in the shadows of the halls…just a kiss here and a hug there. Most likely Solomon, great king of wisdom and reputation that he was, probably had no choice in accepting some of those women into his courts. Wasn’t this action just political? He most likely was doing it for the betterment of his nation…the chosen nation of God. Right? Then why had God forbidden it? Isn’t it interesting, that when we look at all our excuses, from an outside view, how easily they collapse? What started in small proportions…in the shadows of the halls…ended up on the mountain tops in full view.
The beautiful women that Solomon could not resist brought with them the idols and gods of their childhoods. And they worshipped them. Can’t you just hear the young and passionate Solomon saying, “Okay you sweet thing, I don’t like it, but you can bring a couple of them with you to the castle.” And later when the night was intense and his desire was as hot as fire, his words sounded more like, “How can I deny you the things that make you happy.” And later with maturity and failing focus, “Yes you have brought me sons and great joy, of course I will build you a shrine for that prized possession of yours.” And then lastly, “I will worship with you.”
I’m not sure how the words went. I’m not sure about Solomon at all…other than the Bible speaking of God’s anger toward his allowance of idols and foreign gods in the land and hearts of his chosen people. And as a mother, I can’t help but feel that God’s heart hurt…knowing that he could not do anything to fix what was wrong in Solomon’s life. God had done all that He could do without taking Solomon’s free will. This was Solomon’s choice, and although it was painful to watch…God had to endure all of the levels of poor choices, weak excuses, oncoming ramifications, and devastating outcomes. How could it possibly feel to be GOD…the Maker and Giver of all things possible…and to be chosen for second place?
I was in my favorite hobby store yesterday and could not find a knickknack for that strangely shaped shelf in the corner of my living room. So I went down the street a little to a store whose bright colored advertisement had caught my eye with the promise of offering me my heart’s desire. They did have some beautiful imported stuff: amazing colors and sparkles galore. By now you know me well enough to know that I am pretty simple but do like all matter of sparkles. Walking into that store, I felt like a child in a sparkly candy store…places where the ceiling is clouds and the floors are a chocolate covered pathway. Then, there it was…an idol. The blunt force of this vivid reality hit me so hard that I felt as if the air had been knocked out of my gut.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. This idol, a commonly known figure, was sitting there in rows. One row was a deep green, to match the new decorating palette of greens and golds. One row was rich blue to blend with the new use of peacock feathers on walls and in flower arrangements. One row was a startling burgundy and my mind couldn’t even grasp how that color could possibly be used in any decorative scheme. And although they were handsome in their rows of colors, sitting there in their well dipped finishes…they were…just what they were…idol images. And the common knowledge of them is just that.
I’ve read the stories of the Old Testament my whole life: those crazy Israelites and all of their confusion. Serving God one moment (sometimes actually hundreds of years…but the element of time is not the point here) when they needed Him to deliver them, and then forgetting about Him the next moment (same) and turning to other interests. Most of those times in reading I would feel safe in knowing that the nation in the stories was far, far away… and if not removed enough by space…the events in the story were certainly removed by time. That is why we call it the Old Testament.
Could Solomon’s attraction to women and our attraction to the newest home trends have anything in common? No? And, why not? Do you think it matters to satan which device he uses to lure our attention from God and onto something…anything else. Don’t you think it is possible that he just handed out several A+‘s in demon class to those little rascals in the back row that thought up the idea of getting idols into the homes of our nation by means of current decorating schemes. Get possession first, then possible worship later. Schemes…indeed!
And the pain of our Father…as He watches us pick one up and admire its beauty. How he must suffer when we do not march our disgust to the manager and refuse to purchase anything at that store…ever. And what about restaurants with all of their images…and the profits they make from us to their great advantage? Will those profits advance Christ or the fight for the Kingdom of God? And have we even begun to consider the new building of temples (of foreign gods) in our land? Or have we even simply considered the exercise classes we spend on our knees and in strange positions while a large idol sits staring in the corner of the room?
Are you kidding me? You think I am making too big of deal out of nothing. What is your name? Solomon? Better yet…what is mine? Am I the Solomon of this age, residing in a nation of promise and blessing, which was passed down to me from the pure hearts of devoted and obedient forefathers? Am I the excuse making, shadow seeking, conflict fearing heart who allows my attention to stray and my absolute obedience to falter? Am I influencing my children to wane in the education of absolution? And have I become hardened to the impurity of devotion to the one and only God…and refuse, even now to repent and change my ways…allowing regression little by little? Am I not aware of the end result? Have I not been warned? Am I acting in a way in which the kingdom of this nation will be torn from my sons?
I love diversity. I love foreign culture. I hate foreign gods. They offend my LORD, therefore they offend me. I do not know the answer to politics…or even the answer in how to love all people while you refuse acceptance of their gods in this Christian land. But, I can read. And there is no confusion about the reality of destruction that absolutely will come to a blessed nation…that does not honor and protect the pure and single devotion to the one and only God, the God of Abraham, the Father of Christ, the One who calls Himself... “I Am”.
In obedience
Rhonda D Loucks
I’m not sure how the words went. I’m not sure about Solomon at all…other than the Bible speaking of God’s anger toward his allowance of idols and foreign gods in the land and hearts of his chosen people. And as a mother, I can’t help but feel that God’s heart hurt…knowing that he could not do anything to fix what was wrong in Solomon’s life. God had done all that He could do without taking Solomon’s free will. This was Solomon’s choice, and although it was painful to watch…God had to endure all of the levels of poor choices, weak excuses, oncoming ramifications, and devastating outcomes. How could it possibly feel to be GOD…the Maker and Giver of all things possible…and to be chosen for second place?