1 Kings 8:61 “But your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”

There is one difference in the Japanese here that caught my eye. In the NIV it says, “be fully committed to the Lord our God,” but the Japanese says, “your heart be totally one with the Lord our God.” We don’t usually think of commitment in those terms! I think it’s a valuable way to look at it. It brings to mind Paul’s statement that “We have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16) It’s not that we bend God’s will to match ours, even though our prayers often seem like we’re trying to do that, but that we surrender our will to Him, accepting His view of what is and what should be. Solomon was obviously speaking prophetically, because he himself failed to do this. Like we too often do, he let his flesh and his intellect control what he did. Having many women pleases the flesh, and making alliances by marrying the daughters of foreign kings and being tolerant of their religions seems all too logical to the human intellect. Failing in those areas made Solomon into what I consider to be one of the most pathetic figures in the whole Bible, totally wasting the enormous promise and abundant gifting with which he started. He is certainly an illustration of the sad reality that some leaders are to be listened to but not imitated.

I am increasingly in a place of spiritual leadership, and I’ve got to be fully careful not to follow Solomon’s example. Being the only speaker at a conference like this can feed the ego, and that is dangerous indeed. I need to focus on keeping my heart one with the Lord, not thinking and planning things on my own, but humbly seeking His face at every turn. Six sessions are frankly a lot, and two of those are yet to go. I can think of Church leaders I’ve encountered who were good examples, and some who were not. I am not to think of myself as “the expert,” but humbly share from the riches the Lord has poured out on me. I am not to deny what the Lord has showed me, but I’m certainly not to place myself on a pedestal. The fall from such a location can be disastrous! My goal is for my heart to be one with the Lord indeed, and speak and act only as He directs.

Father, thank You for the privilege of speaking at this conference. I don’t know what You have for me in the future, but so far this has been a real blessing, certainly to me and I think to the attendees as well. May the two sessions today likewise be what You desire and intend for all involved, building up the Body of Christ for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!