Coffee With The Lord

When something goes wrong or someone is suffering for some reason our inclination seems to be to blame someone or something for the problem. We look for a “culprit”! Who failed here that that person is suffering or that thing we are observing is not right…

There’s a story like that in the Bible… A man blind from birth. The disciples saw him and asked Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” After all, it had to be someone’s fault… there had to be something that caused this problem… someone or something was to blame!

Jesus answer to his followers that day is so challenging! Jesus said, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God might be displayed in him!” Then Jesus healed the man. (John 9:1-7)

This question came to mind during “coffee with the Lord” this morning as I read this passage… What if I stopped looking for someone or something to blame when things were not right – when there was a problem – and began to see those “not right” things as “God-opportunities” … in other words, “This happened that the works of God might be displayed!” I have a feeling difficulties would “morph” into adventure – challenges would become opportunities for faith – problems would begin to result in miracles! What a concept! Seeing problems and difficulties as God-opportunities!  I’m going to give it a try!

1 Kings 5-6 in the Bible are dedicated to a description of Solomon building the temple. The Jewish temple – “God’s temple” – was beautifully furnished and lavishly prepared – read the description of it in these two chapters. But it certainly was not a place where all of Israel could gather for worship at one time – not what we think of as a “house of worship” (it wasn’t large enough for that, being only about 90 feet long and 30 feet wide) It was rather a place for sacrifice and a place where the Living God manifested His presence among His people.

Solomon, David’s son, one of the greatest kings of Israel and Judah… Here’s what the Bible says about him… (Just read it again this morning)…

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all other men… and his fame was in all the surrounding nations… And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.” (from 1 Kings 4:29–34 ESV)

Did you get that? “GOD GAVE SOLOMON WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING BEYOND MEASURE!” It was not simply self-generated or gotten! It was not simply the result of “smart parents or genetic superiority”! It wasn’t the result of the schools he attended or the degrees he held from prestigious universities. Deep within, Solomon knew it was not the result of his efforts or personal intellect… in fact, after he had assumed the throne, one night the Lord appeared to him in a dream at night, and God said to him…

“Ask what I shall give you.”

And Solomon said, “O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

And the Bible says… “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will also lengthen your days!” (from 1 Kings 3.1-13 ESV)

Boy, I never want to forget this lesson! Anything I am… anything I achieve… anything I have… any wisdom I exhibit… is the blessing of the Lord! And it all begins with putting the Lord first and honoring Him in my life! (Check out Proverbs 9:10!)