1 Kings 14 & Luke 22 - The detestable practices of the other nations

The history of the Israelite faith is a rocky one, at best. They see the miracles of the Lord and believe for a time but then fall away and are tempted by the practices of the nations around them. David followed the Lord with all his heart, Solomon started that way but then was led astray by his wives whom he married from the nations around him. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was worse than this. The practice of idol worship became rampant.

1 Kings 14 vs 22-24 says " Judah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealous anger more than their fathers had done. They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites."

It only took a couple of generations and there was no difference between the people of God and the godless around them. Does this happen to us? What are the gods of those around us? Money, power, esteem from men, accumulation of stuff, physical perfection, I'm sure I'm missing some worldly values. Are these the same as the values that God calls us to? If not, can people tell that I am different? Or am I like Judah, with no difference between me and the godless around me?

Luke 22 describes the Last Supper and the trial of Jesus before his crucifixion. At the Last Supper the disciples begin to argue among themselves of who was considered to be the greatest. Jesus says to them in Luke 22:25-27 "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For whois greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves." Jesus calls us to not seek the things the world seeks and be one who rules. Instead, we are to be those who serve.

I don't see much in the bible that gives value to ambition except for that ambition that advances the kingdom. What does this mean for my life? How do I balance my biblical mandate to work as if for the Lord but not let that get tangled in my own want for advancement, recognition and material success?

I think the answer simply is keep my eyes always on Jesus.

I have been struggling to keep my time with the Lord because physically it has been hard for me to find the energy to get up in the mornings. However, at Sunday school yesterday someone said "I have to trust that my spiritual needs are more important than my physical needs and that if I take care of that the Lord will care for my physical needs." That was convicting to me and so I am praying the Lord will give me enough energy to realize what's important.

1 Kings 11 - Solomon led astray

1 Kings 10 talked about how great Solomon was in wisdom and wealth. His reputation was so great that the Queen of Sheba came to visit him, his wealth so great that his palace had no equal among the other kings. Vs. 24 says "The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart." I can only imagine what an amazing guy he was. His reputation was also about how his wisdom came from the Lord.

But then chapter 11. What a stern warning we have for our lives in chapter 11. It says in vs 4 "As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God." It never says that Solomon forgot the Lord and renounced him, just that he split his attention to appease all his foreign wives.

It has me thinking if I do things that cause my attention to be split. Are there things where someone describing my life might say that it was not fully devoted to the Lord my God?