22 April | EVERYONE
"Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. Then Solomon rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place." 2 Chronicles 9:30-31
Solomon's life had three distinct stages. First, as a youth of integrity, humility, and service to God. Kings and queens from all over the world came from various places to see the glory of God and the extraordinary way the Lord blessed Israel. Those were glorious days. History shows that the Lord rewards obedience and faithfulness.
But past victories are no guarantee of future triumphs. No one can doze off or boast about what happened. What matters is what happens in the present. Solomon fell sharply in his adult phase. His heart was filled with pride, and God became just a detail in his experience. The results were catastrophic. The passions of life dragged him into the dark depths of concupiscence. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. For what? Sin has no limits. The farther you are from God, the more you sink into the quicksand of evil.
Thankfully, God does not forget His children; He calls them, follows them, and pursues them. He insists, repeatedly, He never loses hope that one day the rebellious son will return to His loving arms. So it was with Solomon. One day, the king awoke from his spiritual unconsciousness and wrote, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 1:2). And then: "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’” (12:1).
His life was a life of ups and downs, an experience of shadows and lights, a pilgrimage of falls and rectifications. Who cares! What is noteworthy is that "Solomon rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David his father."
He slept in peace with God and awaits the second coming of Christ in glory and majesty.
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Whether you are a little or too far away from God, or even if you have forgotten Him, the reality is that your heart will continue to yearn for His presence. He knows this and that is why, even though you have lived apart from Him, God will always stand by your side. From the cradle to the grave.