Day 163

1 Kings 9:1–10:29; Acts 8:14-40; Psalm 130:1-8; Proverbs 17:2-3

OUR ENTIRE READING from 1 Kings today was a description of Solomon’s intimacy with God and his extraordinary wisdom and achievements within his culture. In Solomon’s time, Jerusalem truly became the epicenter of the world.

We’ve spent the first half of the year chasing the story of God’s promise of a land flowing with milk and honey that would be filled with plenty for all within His presence. Today’s reading gave us a taste of the wonder of this promise fulfilled. Enjoy this moment in the Bible. Even reread it, because today we witnessed the apex of our journey thus far —and the pinnacle of ancient Israel.

Picture the grandeur of the most advanced and beautiful civilization the biblical writers had ever seen. Imagine the fortified cities around Israel and the vast stores of wealth and prosperity. Imagine the fleet of ships that sailed to the farthest reaches of the known world and returned to the shores of the Red Sea to bestow these treasures on the inhabitants of Israel. Imagine battle shields made of hammered gold and eating utensils and goblets made of pure gold. Imagine silver being as plentiful as stone. Consider the regular visits from dignitaries and royalty coming to hear for themselves the wisdom of God spoken through the king.

Today brings us to the peak, and as we move forward, we will begin to move down the other side of this proverbial mountain. The children of Israel reached this beautiful moment when all appeared to be fulfilled, but from here, we will unfortunately begin a steady downward slide.

In today’s passage from Acts, we read about the providential encounter between Philip and an Ethiopian official. Philip was directed to travel on the busy road from Jerusalem to Gaza —a journey that probably invited him to wonder why he was assigned this task. But on this ancient road he found the Ethiopian, who needed instruction. During their encounter, Philip shared the Good News concerning Jesus, which resulted in the Ethiopian’s baptism, and likely the gospel spreading into new lands.

God’s purposes in our own lives may seem counterintuitive at times. Like Philip, it isn’t always immediately apparent where we’re going with God. But this is the beauty of a trusting relationship. We may not always know where we’re going, but the beauty of going there together, in collaboration, can be one of the greatest joys we will ever know. Our part is to respond to God’s leading with trust and obedience, and by so doing, we will often be delighted and surprised to discover what encounters His plans include.

MEDITATION:

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart.