LEARNING DAILY

1 Kings 8:46-50a, “When they sin against You, (for there is no one who does not sin), and you become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to the land of the enemy, far or near; yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness’; and when they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul …. Then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and supplication, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You …..”

These verses were part of an email I receive once in a while; the article was written by Joel Rosenberg. It is a prayer spoken by King Solomon while dedicating the temple he had built for the Lord in Jerusalem. Rosenberg stated Solomon prayed for any Israeli who might be captured and taken back to the enemy’s land both in his day and days in the future – even today. Rosenberg continues to talk about Solomon asking God to not only hear the prayers of his people but to forgive them and rescue them from their situation. The people needed to ask in humility, repent, and ask Him for full forgiveness.

Believers today might want to examine this prayer in light of our own lives. We need to be diligent about our walk on the narrow way. We must be alert to the dangers and pitfalls that cause deception and misunderstanding that causes us to get off track or be misled. In earlier verses of this prayer, Solomon reminded the people that obedience or wholehearted devotion to God is required to receive the blessings of God. Obedience is key to hearing and receiving from God in our lives today! When God’s people are not obedient, not diligent and not alert (complacent instead), God may allow the enemy to shake them up.

Rosenberg’s article gives some examples of what might cause God to allow the enemy to attack us. When we have sinned or disobeyed Him. When we fail to take time for His Word or neglect time in prayer. When we choose not to believe or follow His Word. When we are not walking the narrow way according to His desires or not walking closely with Him. There are certainly other reasons causing Believers to not walk with God as He desires. To get us to wake up in these times, God allows us to be shaken or even “be taken captive” until the time we humbly confess what we have or have not done, thanking Him for His grace and forgiveness. It is important to know and understand that God allows us to be shaken or sifted because He loves us.

He loves His people enough to discipline them through being shaken. Great parents discipline their children when they do wrong. They do so because of their love for them. It is not the parents’ fault; it’s the child’s fault because they have done wrong. It is not God who is wrong for having to use discipline, it's our fault for the sin we have committed or for not being obedient. The way back to walking with Him on the narrow way is to return to Him “with all our heart and soul”, seeking Him to rescue us. Believe me, He desires this type of prayer and does rescue us because He does love us. Do not hesitate or put off what you need to do!