In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it. It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.
1 Kings 6:38 – 7:1 (NIV)
Lord Jesus, I have always felt some kind of way about it taking Solomon seven years to complete the temple and thirteen years to complete his palace. Even as I look at the what he put into the design of his palace it was more splendid and way more elaborate than the temple. The temple was beautiful and breathtaking. But his palace was on a totally different level. And he took more time to do it.
This exposes something in my heart and the hearts of Your people. Though the things of You are important to us, to me, and though we do pour ourselves into them to accomplish them, there sometimes creeps into us a difference between doing things for You and doing them for ourselves. What we do for You can be driven more from duty (1 Kings 5:4) rather than passion. And the results show, both in how much of us we pour into it, and the final results. My soul was convicted when I reflected this morning how much time during the day is spent in reading Your Word and prayer versus how much time I spend doing me.
Master, I pray today for a heart that sees that fine line in me and calls it out before You. I recognize it is not to say that I love You less. It just means I need to love You more. My heart needs to be fixed on the things above, I must seek You first. The creature comforts of life compete heavily with the peace of Your fellowship. I want Your fellowship to win every time! And that can only happen if I immerse myself more and more into You.
Fill my quiet time with Your peace. Continue to bombard me throughout the day with Your presence. I don’t want to take my mind off of You. I purpose today to pray continually. But more than anything, I make it my aim to place You first in all things. Amen.