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Health & Fitness

Finishing Well

I was reading in the Bible, 1 Kings 11, about King Solomon’s final years. It was a sobering read, to be truthful. When people typically think of Solomon, they usually recall the following facts about him- his father was King David, the greatest king in Israel’s history; he succeeded his father to the throne; Solomon was offered anything his heart would desire by God, and he (wisely) chose wisdom to lead; as a result, God gave him unsurpassed wisdom, but also blessed him with vast wealth, power, and influence across the world. What fantastic potential and promise!
Solomon penned most of the Proverbs, some of the Psalms are attributed to him, and scholars believe he wrote Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs as well. Solomon was given the privilege of constructing the first great Temple, built up Jerusalem as well as other great projects across the country, constructed a vast navy to sail the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, and beyond. His wisdom, fame, and wealth were beyond any of his time. All because he started well- he dedicated himself to follow God, to walk humbly before Him, and to lead God’s people with wisdom and compassion.
But something happened along the way. By chapter 11, Solomon began to waver and weaken.
His wealth, power and fame went to his head, as he accumulated more and more for himself, and began to treat his people as servants rather than God’s people, taxing them heavily and pressing them into slave labor. He gathered for himself literally hundreds of wives and concubines, to feed his lusts. And he allowed for the worship of false gods among all his wives, and ultimately among the people, eventually participating himself. He short, rather growing into a wise old man, he became an old fool.
The sad final years of his life can be summed up in these verses- “Now the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord,… he did not observe what the Lord had commanded.” (v.9-10) In fact, Solomon's final recorded act as king was a plot to kill the man whom God was going to give part of his kingdom to upon his death. He fought against God while on his deathbed!
His story startled and shook me. I had not looked at Solomon this way before. He did not finish well, but in shame.
I never want to make choices that would bring shame upon myself, my family, my people, and ultimately, my God. I want to finish well, finish strong, and leave a legacy of love for God, love for people, and love for life. I want to hear God say, “Well done, welcome home!”, not “What were you thinking?!” I know I’ll not be perfect, I’ll make mistakes sometimes, but may I never destroy God’s work in and through me. May my life, overall, bring Him glory and honor.
May my epitaph one day read- “He walked with God, and brought others along.”

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