Monday, July 19, 2010

Rules Rules Rules

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 10-11; Acts 8:26-40

As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been” (1 Kings 4: 11).

Growing up, it was sometimes hard to obey. I didn’t understand why certain rules were in place. Only now do I see that they were often for my own safety.

A bedtime was to ensure that I had enough sleep and did well in school. A curfew was to keep me off the roads after a certain hour of the night, when the unsafe drivers started to come out. A speed limit was to help prevent reckless driving, and to keep pedestrians safe. Although some rules may have seemed ridiculous, they all had their purpose.

King Solomon must have chaffed under the “no foreign wives” rule that God had set in place. He must have thought that he was wealthy and wise enough to do whatever he wanted. His disobedience cost him his relationship with God. I wonder, in the end, if he thought it was really worth the cost.

You see, God had seen into the future. He understood that the heart of man could stray easily. He must have seen that men like Solomon would soon start worshiping the pagan god’s of their wives. It’s rather sad that a man that started off so well, building a beautiful temple for the Lord, and desiring wisdom over all else, would end his life on such a low note. It’s rather depressing in fact.

But just the same, it’s a good reminder that rules are there for a reason. The rules God sets down, our parents set down, and even our government sets down more than likely serve for our ultimate best interests and general well being.

There are purposes in rules, even if we don’t see it at the moment. King Solmon reminds us of this.

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