Hi how are you all today? I am great. Guess what! Yes it is still raining but we hope to see sunshine next weekend. I can’t wait to dry my clothes in it and wash the things that really need sun to dry, like my dogs bed. Sunshine is so good.
This week I want to consider what’s most important in God’s eyes. I was reading my Bible the other day and that thought jumped out at me. The verses are in 1 Kings 6: 11-13 in the Message Bible:
The word of God came to Solomon saying, “About this Temple you are building—what’s important is that you live the way I’ve set out for you and do what I tell you, following my instructions carefully and obediently. Then I’ll complete in you the promise I made to David your father. I’ll personally take up my residence among the Israelites—I won’t desert my people Israel.”
In this story, King Solomon was building a magnificent temple for God to dwell in. David, his father, had started to gather materials for it before he died. David badly wanted to build the temple, but it was not his calling, it was Solomons.
Solomon was getting the best craftsmen and the best materials. But in the middle of all that came a warning from God. In essence, God said, this temple that you are building is grand. However, there are certain things that are more important than a grand temple. They are:
- Live the way that I have set out for you
- Do what I tell you
- Follow my instructions carefully and obediently
Sometimes we can look at buildings, houses, churches and temples and look at the magnificence of them. But God is saying to you and I today, what’s more grand is your relationship with me.
What’s more magnificent to me is when you live that way that I have set out in My Word. What thrills me the most is when you do as I tell you as it is to give you a good future.
What’s more valuable than gold and precious stones is when you follow my instructions carefully and obediently.
God wants to give us an abundant life and He wants to give us all things richly to enjoy. But He doesn’t want things becoming more important to us than our relationship and walk with God.
We see this unfold when Jesus told His disciples in Mark 13: 1-2:
As he walked away from the Temple, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at that stonework! Those buildings!” Jesus said, “You’re impressed by this grandiose architecture? There’s not a stone in the whole works that is not going to end up in a heap of rubble.”
The disciples were focussed on the magnificence of the building. Jesus took their focus off the building when He literally said the building was going to be destroyed. So if the building wasn’t important, what was? People!!
I am not saying don’t have nice buildings and houses etc. What I am saying is that our relationship with God is more important. In the middle of going to a nice church or living in a nice house, don’t forget Jesus.
So what’s important to God? You and I. Let’s remember how valuable we are to God this week as we keep living the life God intended for all of us.
Bless you
Karen
Living the life God intended 