Still Building

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%207;2%20Chronicles%204&version=NIV

Today we read in 1 Kings 7 that it took Solomon thirteen years to complete the construction of his palace. He spent only seven years building the temple – that’s almost twice as long spent building his own house as was spent building the Lord’s house. I wondered about that when I read it – perhaps you did to. I wondered why it took Solomon longer to build his own house. My thoughts were that perhaps he put more into his own palace – perhaps he made it more important, larger, more beautiful. It seems to be human nature, after all, to spend more time building our own lives then building a place for God in our lives. Yet, given Solomon’s wisdom, that didn’t seem to make sense.

So, as I often do when I’m not quite sure what the answer is, I went to the commentaries (there are several great ones that you can access on crosswalk.com for your own future reference). Here is what I found in Matthew Henry’s Concise Bible Commentary. I have to admit, I really like the answer, especially the part highlight in bold:

Never had any man so much of the spirit of building as Solomon had, nor to better purpose; he began with the temple, built for God first, and then all his other buildings were comfortable. The surest foundations of lasting prosperity are those which are laid in an early piety, Mt. 6:33. 1. He built a house for himself (v. 1), where he dwelt, v. 8. His father had built a good house; but it was no reflection upon his father for him to build a better, in proportion to the estate wherewith God had blessed him. Much of the comfort of this life is connected with an agreeable house. He was thirteen years building this house, whereas he built the temple in little more than seven years; not that he was more exact, but less eager and intent, in building his own house than in building God’s. He was in no haste for his own palace, but impatient till the temple was finished and fit for use. Thus we ought to prefer God’s honour before our own ease and satisfaction.

I pray, my friends, that in my own life and in yours, we would be more intent on building God’s house than building our own. I pray that we would make haste and be impatient to be built into a temple that is finished and fit for God’s use rather than impatient to build our lives into the vision we have for ourselves. I pray that becoming a sanctuary for the display of God’s glory will come before our own ease and satisfaction, and that being intent in that pursuit, we would let God have his way in our lives. I pray this standing on the promises of God that when we seek first Him, His Kingdom and His righteousness, we will be given all that we need – both supplies and plans - for the construction of our own lives. In fact, I pray this standing on the promise that God also will provide the labor for the building of our lives – our job is simply to focus on building for Him!

Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels