Battling the lure of pride
So now, with God as our witness, and in the sight of all Israel—the Lord’s assembly—I give you this charge. Be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it to your children as a permanent inheritance.
“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work. 1 Chronicles 28: 8-10
From the text, David was giving instructions to Solomon who will be the successor to David’s throne. Solomon will fill-in the place of his father. He will also be in-charge of building the permanent temple for the Ark of the Covenant which was being carried and placed under the tent during the reign of David. David begins his instruction by telling Solomon to “obey all the commands of the Lord.” This admonition was very important because Solomon’s reign will be characterized by peace and prosperity. Since he will not have turmoil as his father had during his reign there could be a temptation to take for granted God’s commands and His leading and this could lead to self-destruction. Sure enough, King Solomon gave in to temptations during his reign. He did not listen to his father’s instructions that he gave in to the lure of materialism and pride. This led to his failure and the downfall of his leadership over Israel. You might say that you will not commit the same mistake Solomon did because you do not have the riches Solomon had, yet there is still the lure of pride. This is why David’s instruction to Solomon is very valuable to those who would like to commit their lives to God. Like Solomon, you will be better served when you realized that God is calling you to serve Him with “your whole heart and a willing mind.” Humbling yourself before God is the only way you can ward off the lure of pride. Do not forget the grace you received from God when you responded to the gospel of salvation. When you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, you declared to Him that your life will be lived in accordance with His leading. Continue to ask God to help you grow in your relationship with Him always reminding yourself that it is only by His grace that you are able to live your life pleasing Him.
Blessings.
