Seeking an Obedient Heart

## Introduction

A.  Starting a new job, a new school, or participating in a new venture can make us nervous. The uncertainty of what to do and what our role will be can lead us to be cautious. Some, however, seem to thrive when challenged with something new. Some find such new beginnings exhilarating. They approach such beginnings with great confidence and assurance. Solomon's new beginning as king begins with a combination of confidence and uncertainty. Confidence in being king but uncertainty in knowing exactly how to function well. Tonight as we continue to look at Solomon's life, we will notice the humility of heart he possesses as he begins his reign but also his unwillingness to adhere to God's commands and decrees.

## Poor Choices

A.  In 3:1-4, we are given insight into two choices which Solomon made which did not please God. The first was a political alliance with Egypt resulting in marrying Pharaoh's daughter. While we recognize Israel as a political nation, God wanted Israel to remain separate from the political intrigue of the day. Solomon's willingness to form an alliance with Egypt went against the will of God. In 11:1, we are told that he loved Pharaoh's daughter. So this arranged marriage was more than just a political alliance. For Solomon he marries a person who does not share his religious or political view. Yet, he in time he gives his heart to this woman as well as a number of other women.

B.  His second poor choice is seen in his attempts to worship God. According to verse 3, Solomon loves God. He wants to demonstrate his love toward God and he is willing for all the people to know how intense he is about God. However, the writer records for us the problem with his sincerity. He is not offering these sacrifices in Jerusalem instead he is going to high places. You will recall that God had instructed David to collect the materials for the temple to be built. God further instructed that someone else would build the temple. Yet, Solomon does not begin immediately building. The ark of the covenant resides in Jerusalem and yet Solomon ignores its presence and endorses worship away from the ark.

C.  These two choices reveal to us how easily we can do the wrong thing with good motives. Undoubtedly, Solomon is interested in securing peace for the nation of Israel. Undoubtedly, his political alliance was made in the spirit of common practice with power and prestige. But God had already explicitly forbidden such intermarriage. Solomon loves God, but he worships at the high places. This is not what God wants. He wants the people to have a central place of worship. He wants the nation to rally around the ark at Jerusalem and yet Solomon with good motives does something differently.

D.  Good motives does not guarantee right action. Just as right action doesn't guarantee good motive. Solomon loves God. But he chooses to go against the expressed will of God. Solomon loves God, but he marries a woman who does not love God as he does. This will eventually lead to his downfall. Solomon loves God and wants to worship him, but the place of worship violates God's stated intent. Both of these choices are made with good motives. But both of these choices will eventually lead to a lessening of his intense love for God. We can love God but poor choices can diminish that love as we push more and more of our own desires and wishes to the forefront. While no one could impugn Solomon's motives, scripture does not endorse his actions. Pleading our case on the basis of motives is never enough. Right action and proper motives need to go hand in hand.

## God's Blessing

A.  In spite of Solomon's wrong actions, God does see the motive of Solomon's heart. As a result, God wants to bless Solomon in a special way. This is not contradictory. God's blessing of Solomon is not endorsement, but rather a way to demonstrate God's intense desire to bless those whose heart is set upon him. Eventually, Solomon is going to presume upon God's blessing and he will fall. We can presume upon God's kindness and believe grace, mercy and kindness are endorsement, but such is not the case. God wants to bless. This is his ultimate desire, but he will not bless in spite of wrong action.

B.  Recall David's life. David did many wrong actions, but God blessed. Why? Because David's heart was right. God could see his motives and they were set upon God. When confronted by his wrong actions, David always returned to God. Solomon is going to be confronted eventually about his wrong actions. But his heart now is set on God and God wants to bless this king of his people.

C.  God appears to Solomon in a dream and grants him the privilege of asking for anything he wants and God will give it to him. There are no stipulations or boundaries. The world is open to him. Solomon asks for a discerning heart. This word "discerning" means a listening or obedient heart. We have often thought of it as wisdom and that certainly fits, but Solomon is asking for a heart which wants to listen to the people, obey God, and then judge the people fairly and with great insight. Notice in verse 7 that Solomon calls himself a little child who doesn't know what to do. An interesting description. It speaks of Solomon's humility of heart. Solomon appears to appreciate not only the seriousness of his reign but the overwhelming responsibility associated with being king. He has an appreciation for his small stature in God's plan. Such a great task has been given to him and he isn't sure he is equal to the task.

D.  What a great model for us in approaching God! An awareness of God's great plan and trying to discern how we fit into that plan is worthy of our praying for a listening and obedient heart. Approaching life with humility; seeking God's direction; trying to understand how we fit into God's plans are worthy goals.

## A Demonstration of Wisdom

A.  The rest of chapter 3 reveals Solomon's wisdom at work. Two prostitutes come seeking an answer to a dispute. Both women have recently given birth. One of the women accidently rolled over on top of her infant during the night and suffocated the baby. She got up during the night and took the other woman's baby from her and put the dead child in her arms. The women appear before Solomon arguing about whose child this one is. Solomon displays his listening and obedient heart by ordering that the child be cut in half and each woman receive one half of the child. The real mother rejects such a decision preferring to see her child survive than to be killed. The false mother is happy for the child to be divided. Solomon orders that the child be given to the real mother. Such a verdict results in the people holding Solomon in high esteem because he demonstrated godly wisdom.

B.  Final lesson. Wouldn't it be great if folks could see godly wisdom in us and then esteem us? Not place us on a pedestal but be aware that God is doing something in our lives. That our lives demonstrate the presence and wisdom of God and that the honor could then be given to God because of it. Notice one more thing in verse 15. Solomon returns to Jerusalem and before the ark of the covenant offers burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. The burnt offerings were designed to take care of sin and to reveal dedication. The fellowship offerings were because Solomon felt at peace with God. He was at one with God. His heart was set on God and God had revealed his presence so that he could know God was with him. But he returns to God's ark of the covenant. This new beginning for Solomon begins with humility, wisdom, and God's presence. What more could any of us want? Prayer.

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