4th Monday of Advent (December 19) Solomon: As each day requires

“And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah…”
 
Prepare to Listen.  Light all 4 colored candles.  Let this prayer prepare you to listen: Save us, O God of our salvation, that we may give thanks to your holy name.
 
Prayerfully Read 1 Kings 8:54-61
54Now when Solomon finished offering all this prayer and this plea to the LORD, he arose from facing the altar of the LORD, where he had knelt with hands outstretched towards heaven; 55he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice: 56‘Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel according to all that he promised; not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke through his servant Moses.  57The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors; may he not leave us or abandon us, 58but incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our ancestors.  59Let these words of mine, with which I pleaded before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires; 60so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other.  61Therefore devote yourselves completely to the LORD our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.’
 
Prayerfully Wonder
The people gathered at the newly built temple as Solomon offered a long prayer of dedication.[1]  The prayer ended, Solomon stood up “and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice.”  His blessing revealed what he most desired for them, desires fulfilled in Jesus.
 
First, he desired God’s presence: “The LORD our God be with us” and “may he not leave us or abandon us.”  Jesus promised his disciples: “I am with you always, to the end of the age,” and also, “I will not leave you orphaned, I am coming to you.”  He came, in the Holy Spirit.
 
Second, he desired that God would “incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways.”  Solomon didn’t tell his people to incline their hearts to God, but asked God to do this so that they would “keep his commandments.”  This is what Jesus desired for us when he said, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.”  And his commandment is both simple and hard, “love one another as I have loved you.” [2]
 
Solomon’s final desire, that God maintain their cause “as each day requires,” reminded me of the Lord’s Prayer: “Give us each day our daily bread,” or as each day requires.  No more, no less.  It’s the antidote to consuming far more than we need while others go hungry.  So we join Solomon and pray as Jesus taught us: just enough as each day requires.
 
Prayerfully Reflect
The reason for Solomon’s desires was “so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God.”  What are your reasons for your desires?
 
Respond in Prayer
Lord, forgive us for asking and wanting more than each day requires.  Help us ask only for that which will make all the peoples of the earth know that you indeed are Lord of all.  Amen.
 
Live Obediently.  Be satisfied with what each day requires.
[1] You can read it in 1 Kings 8:22-53.
[2] NT texts from Matthew 28:20; John 14:18 and 15:10, 12 respectively.