2 Chronicles 9:3,4
“When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house which he had built, the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, she was breathless.”
The christian life is a blessed one. Unbelievers would be shocked. I wouldn’t have believed it. I was talking to a friend last week when he shared his view of being right with God. He said, “If there were two of poorest people in the world, you’d better be one of them.” He wasn’t a believer, but he and I shared the same religious upbringing. I agreed with him early in my faith. It took several years for me to unlearn all that. God wants to bless us.
Solomon was incredibly wealthy. He was also wise beyond what the queen had ever witnessed. God wants to bless us. We are to be generous and share, but He wants to bless. His blessings go far beyond wealth and wisdom.
Psalm 23 gives a good description. “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want”. That means a couple of things. He takes care of our needs. He instills industriousness in us. He blesses our labor to where we make enough to meet our needs. He blesses us beyond our needs.
This verse also means He removes the covetous nature from us. I Timothy 6:6 says, “Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.” James 4:2a speaks of the covetous heart, “You crave what you do not have”. God gives us a new heart and contents it. He teaches us to be content. That makes a happy person. But that is just the beginning.
Psalm 23 also says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me besides the still waters”. God leads us to lush places or He blesses us where we are planted. Just as the widows oil didn’t run out, so He provides for us. We could be in the desert and He would do this.
He restores our souls, (Psalm 23:3). Life can beat us up. He will restore us. He won’t give us more than we can handle (I Corinthians 10:13). Psalm 61:2 says, “From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Thank You, Lord.
He guides my path in righteousness for His names sake, (Psalm 23:3). “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths”, (Proverbs 3:5,6). If we are trusting Him and invite Him into our lives He will guide us. This is amazing. It’s a miracle. Like a pinball bounces here and there, so He uses life’s circumstances to guide us. He brings us into particular settings and has us meet people. He is the brilliant creator and sustainer of all. He can easily do this with us.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me”, (Psalm 23:4a). We will go through tough times. He will be with us and calm our fears. These are the times that can wreck us. People go to alcohol and other substances to cope. He wants us to trust in Him. David was almost killed several times. We aren’t spared tough times, but we will have our Protector with us.
“Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me”, (Psalm 23:4b). This refers to His discipline and the limits He puts on us. Just as a shepherd uses the hook to keep the sheep from danger, so He also protects us. There are countless times He has saved us. Hopefully we will learn of those some day. The rod speaks of correction. So we need to be corrected. Just as a parent corrects a child, so He corrects us. We may have sinned or were unkind. Whatever the case, His mercy corrects us.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”, (Psalm 23:5a). I learned of this about five years ago. There are those that dislike us and seek our harm. God not only delivers us, but He turns it around and blesses us while our enemies watch. I have been in situations that were concerning. Powerful people had me quite vulnerable. Just like God delivered Mordecai and judged Haman, so He delivered me. I couldn’t believe it. He turned the tables. Two situations are fresh in my mind. I’m still here and prospering. Those who sought me harm didn’t achieve their ends. Thank You, God.
“My cup overflows. Certainly goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life”, (Psalm 23:5b, 6a). God wants our hearts to overflow with joy. He wants our lives to do the same. It’s amazing. Many in the world don’t come to Christ as they fear what they would have to give up. What they hang on to kills them and makes them empty. God wants to bless them.
“And my dwelling will be in the house of the LORD forever”, (Psalm 23:6b). I didn’t know the best part. It was being with God. I knew nothing of His love. To say He is good company is being minimal; it’s a hint of it. The blessing is Him. When we come to Christ, He enters our lives. It’s like nourishment to a garden. We flourish. He loves us. It blesses us. We get to know Him. He works His good character in us. We become a blessing to others.
Solomon was so blessed it took the queens breath away. God blesses His children, so others are amazed. Thank You, Lord.