Verse of the Day 6/6

 

1 Kings 8:61  Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day."  English Standard Version (ESV)

 

The other day we considered Jesus words, the bookends of John 14 "let not your heart be troubled".  Today's verse comes from the Old Testament with a message from Solomon as he was dedicating the temple to the Lord.  The temple was not just a place to go once a week or for various festivals to worship and then go back to their own private live to live the way they wanted.  The point was to live for the God they worshipped, "walking in his statutes and following his  commands.  He said let your hearts, allow your hearts to be wholly true.

 

It is no different today, we have the same commands to follow, to walk according to the ways of Jesus and keep His commands.  The verse is part of many benedictions found in the Bible, all given with the intent to encourage the people hearing the message to go out and live for the God who has saved us.

 

I read the following quote from Augustine this morning, he prayed: "Now it is you alone that I love, you alone that I follow, you alone that I seek, you alone that I feel ready to serve, because you alone rule justly. It is to your authority alone that I want to submit. Command me, I pray, to do whatever you will. . . . Drive out from me all fickleness, that I may acknowledge you alone. Amen."

It may serve as a benediction to our quiet time with the Lord this morning, "Lord give what you command, and command what you will" (Augustine), following the life path he has cleared, alert and attentive to everything he has made plain this day." (The Message)

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

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Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

1 Kings 8:60-63

The Message (MSG)

^59-61 "And let these words that I've prayed in the presence of God be always right there before him, day and night, so that he'll do what is right for me, to guarantee justice for his people Israel day after day after day. Then all the people on earth will know God is the true God; there is no other God. And you, your lives must be totally obedient to God, our personal God, following the life path he has cleared, alert and attentive to everything he has made plain this day."

^62-63 The king and all Israel with him then worshiped, offering sacrifices to God. Solomon offered Peace-Offerings, sacrificing to God 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. This is how the king and all Israel dedicated The Temple of God.