Wednesday, October 12, 2011

October 13, 2011

EKG Devotional Day 12

"When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at[a] the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.”  I Kings 10:1-9

Soon after the dedication of the magnificent temple in Jerusalem, the Queen of Sheba traveled 1,500 miles from the Persian Gulf region, her camel caravan loaded down with spices abd precious gifts. She ame partly because she had heard of the wisdom of Solomon. But she had come for more of a reason than that! "When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions."

The temple was impressive. Solomon's splendor was immense. But the thing that turned the head of the queen was the incredible stamp of God on the life of one of His people. That's why, after sufficiently picking his brain, she concluded the rumors she had heard of Solomon's brilliance didn't tell half the story. This pagan queen recognized God's blessing in Solomon's life, saying,  "Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.”

God's name is visible in His people, even from a distance. We continue to see througout he Scripture the weaving together of three threads:

1. God called a people to embrace His mission - to be His chosen instruments in drawing the nations to Himself.

2. He established a covenant realationship with them so they would embody His name and represent His nature and character to the world.

3. He commanded that they obey His Word and demonstrate holiness, the noticeable difference He made in their lives.

You can be a welcoming reminder that God is waiting for those tired of slogging through a world of sin and disappointments. Let them see God's light in your window. It may seem as impressive as Solomon's temple.